Configurable Wireless Power Control and Management

ABSTRACT

A power control device for controlling the supply of electricity to an electrical apparatus or system. The power control device includes a microcontroller having an operating system with a firmware component that has at least one sandboxed software plug-in slot for accepting a communications protocol software plug-in to configure the microcontroller according to the communications protocol of the communications protocol software plug-in.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure relates to the analysis and automation of mainspower in domestic and commercial applications using portable computingdevices to provision, control, program and interrogate power managementdevices through a configurable wireless communications link.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

In recent years, the proliferation of smartphones has placed powerfulcomputing devices in the hands of the public. It can be appreciated thatusers may find it highly advantageous to provision, control, program andinterrogate power management devices natively from a smartphone througha configurable wireless communications link.

SUMMARY

In one exemplary embodiment, the system utilizes three components: apower management device with configurable wireless communicationscapabilities; a battery powered personal controller able to communicatewith a power management device via a wireless communications link; and aservice platform capable of exchanging data with a personal controllerand a power management device. It will be appreciated that referenceherein to “preferred” or “preferably” is intended as exemplary only.

Any process or mechanism used to alter the consumption of electricity bya consumer from what they would normally consume, particularly duringpeak periods, is typically referred to as demand response, thatdefinition being adopted herein. An example of a demand responsemechanism is the propagation of a trigger message across acommunications network that causes a connected device or appliance topower off as part of shedding load during peak consumption periods.

Examples of power management devices and power control circuits aredescribed in more detail in PCT Application No. PCT/AU2011/001666, filedDec. 29, 2011, titled “Wireless Power, Light and Automation Control,”and PCT Application No. PCT/AU2014/001007, filed Oct. 28, 2014, titled“Adaptable Multi-Mode Wireless Power, Light and Automation”, the entirecontents of each application being incorporated herein by reference.Examples of connected lighting that may be controlled by, or integrate,a power management device is described in PCT Application No.PCT/AU2014/000283 filed Mar. 14, 2014, titled “Wireless Light Pairing,Dimming and Control”, the entire contents of which being incorporatedherein by reference.

As used herein, “network Wi-Fi” refers to any Wi-Fi methodology,topology, technology, protocol, standard or specification used injoining or creating a conventional infrastructure mode Wi-Fi network andincludes the Wi-Fi Alliance definition as any “wireless local areanetwork (WLAN) products that are based on the Institute of Electricaland Electronic Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 standards” including anyamendments, extensions or proprietary implementations. As used herein,the term “Wi-Fi Direct” refers to a device configured to support theWi-Fi Alliance Wi-Fi Direct specification and any amendments, extensionsor proprietary implementations of Wi-Fi peer-to-peer technology. TheWi-Fi Direct specification utilizes and builds on elements of the IEEE802.11 infrastructure mode adapted to forming peer-to-peer (P2P)communications links. As used herein, the term “group participant”refers to a Wi-Fi P2P Device that can participate in a Wi-Fi P2P groupas a Group Owner or P2P Client depending on the outcome of a Wi-FiDirect negotiation, Group Owner Intent Value or configuration of a Wi-FiDirect autonomous group. As used in this application, the term“simulating a Wi-Fi access point” refers to a device configured toreplicate a wireless infrastructure access point, allowing anothernetwork Wi-Fi device to connect as a client in establishing apeer-to-peer or point-to-point communications link and may beimplemented as a software enabled access point (SoftAP) or virtualrouter. Through this mechanism, a peer-to-peer or point-to-pointcommunications link can be established using the infrastructure mode ofWi-Fi without utilizing the Ad Hoc/Independent Basic Service Set mode ofWi-Fi.

Wi-Fi Direct and Bluetooth are peer-to-peer capable communicationtechnologies. Peer-to-peer communication methods and control aspectsthat may be incorporated into a power management device are described inPCT Application No. PCT/AU2011/001666, filed Dec. 29, 2011, titled“Wireless Power, Light and Automation Control” and PCT Application No.PCT/AU2014/001007, filed Oct. 28, 2014, titled “Adaptable Multi-ModeWireless Power, Light and Automation”. Network Wi-Fi is a communicationtechnology that allows devices to communicate through a WLAN. Adaptablenetwork, peer-to-peer and one-to-one communication methods and systemattributes that may be incorporated into a power management device aredescribed in PCT Application No. PCT/AU2014/001007 (mentioned above),and PCT Application No. PCT/AU2012/000959, filed Aug. 15, 2012, titled“Adaptable Wireless Power, Light and Automation System”, the entirecontents of which is incorporated herein by reference.

In one preferred embodiment, a power management device is preferablyconfigured with a wireless communications module that can operate: as anadaptable peer-to-peer and network Wi-Fi communications interface,either individually or concurrently, using Wi-Fi-Direct and/or networkWi-Fi communication technologies; and optionally as a Bluetoothcommunications interface using Bluetooth SIG class 2.1+EDR or latercommunication technologies, including Bluetooth Low Energy, Bluetooth4.X, Bluetooth 5.X and Bluetooth meshing protocols including proprietarysolutions such as CSRMesh.

In one preferred embodiment, a power management device preferablyincludes the necessary hardware and circuitry to support any combinationof suitable personal area network (PAN) or home area network (HAN)wireless communication technologies, protocols, standards, applicationprofiles or specifications, including one or more of: any ZigBeeprotocol, application profile, standard or specification published bythe ZigBee Alliance; any protocol, standard or specification publishedby the WI-SUN Alliance; any Z-Wave protocol, standard or specification;any Thread protocol, standard or specification published by the ThreadGroup Alliance; any protocol, standard or specification based on ANTincluding ANT+; any protocol, standard or specification based on IEEE802.15 including, but not limited to, IEEE 802.15.4; any protocol,standard or specification based on IEEE 802.11; including anyamendments, extensions, revisions or proprietary implementations. Itwill be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that a ZigBeeapplication profile typically defines a domain space of relatedapplications and devices including the message types in a targetapplication, the message formats, and the processing actions of a ZigBeedevice. Unless otherwise noted, the wireless local networkcommunications capabilities will be described in terms of ZigBee, thoughthe disclosure is not so limited and, for example, may be performed byutilizing a Z-Wave, Thread or WI-SUN protocol, standard orspecification. It can be appreciated that while IEEE 802.11 technologiescan be used for wireless HAN communications, IEEE 802.11 technologiesare outlined separately in this application to other HAN or PANtechnologies that may be integrated into a power management device inorder to provide greater clarity of the proposed invention. It can beappreciated that while Bluetooth technologies can be used for wirelessPAN communications, Bluetooth technologies are outlined separately inthis application to other HAN or PAN technologies that may be integratedinto a power management device in order to provide greater clarity ofthe proposed invention.

PAN and HAN methods and system attributes that may be incorporated intoa power management device are described in PCT Application No.PCT/AU2013/001157, filed 8 Oct. 2013, titled “Wireless Power Control andMetrics”, PCT Application No. PCT/AU2015/050136, filed Mar. 30 2015,titled “Wireless Power Metering and Metrics”, and PCT Application No.PCT/AU2015/050290, filed 28 May 2015, titled “Wireless Power Control,Metrics and Management, the entire contents of each application beingincorporated herein by reference.

In one preferred embodiment, a power management device preferablyincludes the necessary hardware, circuitry and subscriber identitymodule or subscriber identification module (SIM) to support wirelesscommunication via a cellular or mobile broadband modem and is configuredto support one or more wireless communication technology, protocol,standard or specification, such as International MobileTelecommunications-2000 (IMT-2000), General Packet Radio Service (GPRS),Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), CDMA2000, Global System forMobiles (GSM), Time Division-Code Division Multiple Access (TD-CDMA),Time Division-Synchronous Code Division Multiple Access (TD-SCDMA),Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE), Evolved EDGE, High-SpeedPacket Access (HSPA), Evolved High-Speed Packet Access (HSPA+), WidebandCode Division Multiple Access (WCDMA), Universal MobileTelecommunications System (UMTS), High Capacity Spatial DivisionMultiple Access (HC-SDMA), High Performance Radio Metropolitan AreaNetwork (hiperMAN), Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access(WiMAX), WiMAX-Advanced, Long-Term Evolution (LTE), LTE-M, LTE-Advanced,LTE-Cat M1, LTE-Cat M1, NB-IoT, TD-LTE, LTE-MTC (Long-TermEvolution-Machine Type Communication), IMT-Advanced, NB-IOT, 5thgeneration mobile networks or 5th generation wireless systems (5G).

In one preferred embodiment, a power management device preferablyincludes the necessary hardware and circuitry to support single orbi-directional low power, wide area (LPWA) wireless communicationtechnologies, protocols, standards or specifications. Where desirable,LPWA wireless communications may be configured for compatibility withone or more technology, protocol, standard or specification from AmberWireless, Coronis, Greenwaves, Haystack Technologies, Link Labs,Actility, Telensa, Huawei CloT, LoRa, M2M Spectrum Networks, NWave,On-Ramp Wireless, Senaptic, Sigfox, Neul, Weightless, WAVIoT, WI-SUN,Ingenu RPMA, Orange POPS or other suitable solutions includingadditional proprietary solutions based on 802.15.4 technologies.

In one preferred embodiment, a power management device is preferablyconfigured with a power measurement module that can report a range ofdata to the system microcontroller. This may include any combination ofparameters, metrics, conditions, and specifications associated withelectricity being supplied to an electrical circuit and electricitybeing used on an electrical circuit or by an electrical device, such as,but not limited to: instantaneous voltage, current and power; active,reactive and apparent power; average real power; RMS voltage andcurrent; power factor; line frequency; overcurrent; voltage sag; voltageswell; phase angle; and temperature. These metrics may be recorded tomemory, transferred to a service platform, transferred to a personalcontroller, or utilized by system microcontroller to determine: thetiming for switching a relay or power control element; electricityconsumed over a time period; operational characteristics including anydeviation from a specification, limit or base measurement; temperature;service requirements; analysis; and/or any other metric or logicalsequencing that could be compiled from the measured, recorded or storeddata from a power measurement module. The power measurement module ispreferably configured with any combination and mix of Rogowski Coil(s),current transformer(s), shunt resistor(s) or other suitable componentsrequired to facilitate power measurements.

In one preferred embodiment, a power management device preferablyincludes a power control circuit or circuits. Power management device'smicroprocessor is preferably configured to individually and selectivelyvary power to a power control circuit or circuits. In one preferredembodiment, a power management device may not be configured with anypower control circuits and operate as a power measurement device. Powermeasurement and reporting capabilities that may be integrated into apower management device are described in PCT Application No.PCT/AU2015/050136 filed Mar. 30, 2015, titled “Wireless Power Meteringand Metrics”.

The personal controller is preferably a commercially available mobilecomputing device that has the wireless communications capability toestablish a communications link with a power management device and maysupport network Wi-Fi and/or Wi-Fi Direct and/or Bluetooth and/or NearField Communications (NFC) and/or cellular communications. Unlessotherwise noted, the personal controller will be described in terms of asmartphone, though the disclosure is not so limited. For example only,the personal controller may be a computing device which can: download orinstall by other means an Applications Program (App); have a suitableinterface the user can interact with to control the App in order toexecute required functions; have the wireless communications capabilityto establish a communications link with a power management device; andhave the communications capability to exchange data with a serviceplatform. Where location services are required, the personal controlleris preferably equipped with a geographic location determining capabilityby way of Global Positioning System technology (GPS) and/or otherpositional technology such as, by way of example only, assisted GPS,synthetic GPS, cell ID, inertial sensors, beacons (including Wi-Fi andBluetooth beacons), terrestrial transmitters, mapping services andgeomagnetic field techniques, or any combination thereof, enabling thepersonal controller to determine its global location coordinates. Wherea satellite method is used to determine location, the personalcontroller may preferably utilize one or more constellation locationspecifications such as USA Global Positioning System (GPS), RussianGlobal Navigation Satellite System (GOLNASS), European Union GalileoPositioning System, Chinese Compass Navigation System, Indian RegionalNavigational Satellite System or others. Examples of personalcontrollers include smartphones, tablets, laptops, smart watches, smarteye wear, ultrabooks and notebook personal computers. The functionalelements of a personal controller may be performed by separate devicespreferably configured to work in unison as part of a mobile computingplatform, each of the component devices being a device designed fortypical mobile use. By way of example, a smart watch functionallycoupled to a smartphone may deliver the functional capabilities of apersonal controller by operating as a unified mobile computing platform.

The present disclosure in one preferred embodiment sets forth a powermanagement device with wireless communication capabilities derived fromany combination and number of integrated circuits, components,controllers, transceivers, radios, memory, microprocessors, and aerialsthat provide a simulated access point, a network Wi-Fi and/or Wi-FiDirect connection, or connections, individually or concurrently. In somepreferred embodiments, a power management device may preferably beconfigured with any combination and number of integrated circuits,components, controllers, transceivers, radios, memory, microprocessors,and aerials to support a wireless Bluetooth connection or connections.In some preferred embodiments, a power management device may preferablybe configured with any combination and number of integrated circuits,components, controllers, transceivers, radios, memory, microprocessors,and aerials to support one or more wireless PAN or HAN utilizing one ormore of ZigBee, Z-Wave, Thread, WI-SUN, ANT or an alternate wirelessnetwork communications protocol, standard or specification. In somepreferred embodiments, a power management device may preferably beconfigured with any combination and number of integrated circuits,components, controllers, transceivers, radios, memory, microprocessors,and aerials to support more than one wireless ZigBee network runningsimultaneously or concurrently, and where desirable, each of thesimultaneous or concurrent ZigBee networks may operate using a differentZigBee application profile (or profiles), standard, specification orprotocol stack. In some preferred embodiments, a power management devicemay preferably be configured with any combination and number ofintegrated circuits, components, controllers, transceivers, radios,memory, microprocessors, and aerials to support one or more cellular ormobile broadband data connections. In some preferred embodiments, apower management device may preferably be configured with anycombination and number of integrated circuits, components, controllers,transceivers, radios, memory, microprocessors, and aerials to support aLPWA network data connection or connections.

In some preferred embodiments, a power management device preferablyincludes any combination and number of integrated circuits, components,controllers, transceivers, radios, memory, microprocessors, and aerialsto support communications via one or more wireless communicationprotocol, standard, or specification on more than one carrier frequency,such as, and by way of example only, ZigBee operating simultaneously orselectively on a carrier frequency of 2.4 GHz and a chosen frequencyunder 1 GHz, Wi-Fi operating simultaneously or selectively across a mixof carrier frequencies such as any combination or mix of sub-1 GHz, 2.4GHz, 5 GHz, 60 GHz or other suitable frequencies, cellularcommunications operating on narrow band and wideband frequencies and/orLPWA communications operating on narrow band and wideband frequencies.Where desirable, a power management device may utilize more than oneaerial in support of one or more antenna diversity techniques. Aerialsmay be wholly located inside a power management device or mounted to theexterior as required.

Depending on cost and desired outcome, the wireless communicationcapabilities of a power management device may be achieved by using: anynumber and combination of radios, aerials, transceivers,microprocessors, memory, components, integrated circuits and controllerseither individually, collectively, or as a system in a package (SiP) oras a system on a chip (SoC) or a package on package (PoP); a combinationor “combo” chip that aggregates the functionality of a number oftransceivers and controllers of different standards as a SiP, SoC orPoP; or using any combination and number of combo chip(s), SiP(s),SoC(s), PoP(s) and/or discrete components, integrated circuits, radios,aerials, transceivers, memory, microprocessors and controllers. A powermanagement device may utilize single or multiple: wireless bands;physical channels; virtual channels; modes; or other coexistencetechnologies and algorithms, the methods of which are familiar to thoseof ordinary skill in the art and for simplicity are not describedherein. Depending on the chosen hardware components, the powermanagement device may also include shared antenna support and sharedsignal receiving paths to eliminate the need for an external splitter orreduce the number of aerials required.

A smartphone App can preferably be used to configure and control thefunctional capabilities of a power management device. In addition toconfiguring the operational aspects of a power management device, an Appwould also preferably be used to do one or more of the following:commission, authenticate, encrypt, secure, measure, process, execute,analyse, compile, exchange, transfer, install, send, receive, store,update, manipulate, display, generate and/or transpose data, from, orto, a power management device, software or service platform in anynecessary way. Such data may include command, control, location, metricand configuration data. Data capabilities of the App may be executed bythe smartphone or may integrate an external service platform.

A power management device is preferably configured to measure, process,execute, report, analyse, compile, exchange, transfer, send, receive,store, generate, install, authenticate, compress, encrypt, secure and/ormanipulate data and/or transpose data, from, or to, an App, software,service platform, or other appliances and devices in any necessary way.Such data may include command, control, location, metric andconfiguration data.

The service platform is preferably a cloud, applications serviceplatform, software as a service platform, platform as a service,infrastructure as a service and/or software that utilizes a computer(s),computing device(s) or server(s) to do one or more of the following:measuring, interrogating, processing, analysing, compiling, exchanging,transferring, sending, receiving, storing, manipulating, displaying,cataloguing, securing, authenticating, commissioning, updating,encrypting, generating and/or transposing data, from, or to, the App,software, a power management device and/or a third party or parties.Such data may include any one or more of analysis, command, control,configuration, provisioning, account, tariff, billing, historical,measured, location, metric, authentication and trend data. The term“cloud” is typically taken to mean on-demand computing resourcesdelivered over the internet, that definition being adopted herein.

In one preferred aspect, the disclosure sets forth an electromechanicalrelay switching system for reducing electromagnetic interference and/orradio frequency interference. The system includes at least oneelectromechanical relay having an energizeable coil configured to closethe relay; a power measurement circuit configured to measure voltage;and a microcontroller having a non-volatile memory, the microcontrollerbeing configured determine a voltage zero crossing time based on thevoltage measured by the power measurement circuit, the microcontrollerbeing configured to synchronize energizing the coil relative to thevoltage zero crossing time based on a relay contact close time asmeasured particularly for the relay, and based on a relay contact bouncetime as measured particularly for the relay.

In another preferred aspect, the disclosure sets forth a method forenergizing an electromechanical relay with reduced electromagneticinterference and/or radio frequency interference. The method includesmeasuring a contact close time, and a contact bounce time, each of themeasurements being particular to the relay; storing the measured contactclose time and the measured contact bounce time in a memory operativelyconnected to a microcontroller configured to energize the relay;measuring a voltage in a circuit containing the relay; determining avoltage zero crossing time based on the measured voltage; and energizingthe relay based on the measured contact close time, the measured contactbounce time, and the voltage zero crossing time.

In a further preferred aspect, the disclosure sets forth anelectromechanical relay switching system for reducing electromagneticinterference and/or radio frequency interference. The system includes atleast one electromechanical relay having an energizeable coil configuredto close the relay; a power measurement circuit configured to measurecurrent; and a microcontroller having a non-volatile memory, themicrocontroller being configured determine a current zero crossing timebased on the current measured by the power measurement circuit, themicrocontroller being configured to synchronize de-energizing the coilrelative to the current zero crossing time based on a relay opening timeas measured particularly for the relay.

In an additional preferred aspect, the disclosure sets forth amulti-network power management device for controlling a supply ofelectricity to an electrical apparatus or system. The device includes aradio transceiver configured to communicate with the personal controllerin at least two different modes, a first of the modes being apeer-to-peer communications mode, a second of the modes being anon-peer-to-peer communication mode; a cellular radio transceiverconfigured to communicate on a low-power, wide area network; amicrocontroller configured to open a peer-to-peer wirelesscommunications link with the personal controller by simulating a Wi-Fiaccess point, the microcontroller storing a unique device code useableby a low-power, wide area network operator to enable the cellular radiotransceiver to communicate on the low-power, wide area network, themicrocontroller being configured to utilise the peer-to-peer radiotransceiver to transmit the unique device code to the low-power, widearea network operator; and a power control circuit configured to varythe supply of electricity to the electrical apparatus or system based atleast in part on instructions communicated from the personal controllerthrough the peer-to-peer radio transceiver.

In yet a further preferred aspect, the disclosure sets forth a methodfor enabling a power management device to operate on a low-power, widearea network to control a supply of electricity to an electricalapparatus or system. The method includes beaconing, via a radiotransceiver in the power management device, infrastructure networkinformation of the power management device; discovering aninfrastructure network of the power management device with a personalcontroller; establishing a peer-to-peer communications link between thepower management device and the personal controller; receiving, at thepower management device, a request for a unique device code of acellular radio transceiver utilised by the power management device;transmitting the unique device code to a low-power, wide area networkoperator to enable the power management device to operate on alow-power, wide area network operated by the low-power, wide areanetwork operator; and varying the supply of electricity to an electricalapparatus or system operationally connected to the power managementdevice through the low-power, wide area network after the powermanagement device is enabled to operate on the low-power, wide areanetwork.

In another preferred aspect, the disclosure sets forth a multi-networkpower management device for controlling a supply of electricity to anelectrical apparatus or system. The device includes a radio transceiverconfigured to communicate with the personal controller in at least twodifferent modes, a first of the modes being a peer-to-peercommunications mode, a second of the modes being a non-peer-to-peercommunication mode; a cellular radio transceiver configured tocommunicate on a telecommunications mobile network; a microcontrollerconfigured to open a peer-to-peer wireless communications link with thepersonal controller by simulating a Wi-Fi access point; an embedded SIM,the microcontroller being configured to store a unique device codeassociated with the embedded SIM, the unique device code being useableby a mobile network operator to enable the cellular radio transceiver tocommunicate on the telecommunications mobile network, a power controlcircuit configured to vary the supply of electricity to the electricalapparatus or system based at least in part on instructions communicatedfrom the personal controller through the peer-to-peer radio transceiver.

In a further preferred aspect, the disclosure sets forth a method forprovisioning a power management device onto a cellular communicationsnetwork to control a supply of electricity to an electrical apparatus orsystem. The method includes beaconing, via a radio transceiver in thepower management device, infrastructure network information of the powermanagement device; discovering an infrastructure network of the powermanagement device with a personal controller; establishing apeer-to-peer communications link between the power management device andthe personal controller; receiving, at the power management device, arequest for a unique device code of a Subscriber Identification Module(SIM) embedded in the power management device; transmitting the uniquedevice code to a cellular network operator to enable the powermanagement device to operate on a cellular network operated by thecellular network operator; and varying the supply of electricity to anelectrical apparatus or system operationally connected to the powermanagement device through the cellular network after the powermanagement device is enabled to operate on the cellular network.

In a further preferred aspect, the disclosure sets forth a powermanagement device for controlling a supply of electricity to at leastone electrical apparatus or system. The device includes a radiotransceiver configured to communicate with a personal mobilecommunications device in at least two different modes, a first of themodes being a peer-to-peer communications mode, a second of the modesbeing a non-peer-to-peer communication mode, the personal mobilecommunications device including circuitry for determining globalposition. The device also includes a microcontroller configured to opena peer-to-peer wireless communications link with the personal mobilecommunications device, the microcontroller being configured to extractcurrent global location coordinates from the personal mobilecommunications device when the personal mobile communications device iswithin peer-to-peer communications range of the radio transceiver. Themicrocontroller is configured to adopt the global location coordinatesof the personal communications device as the global location coordinatesof the power management device. The device also includes a power controlcircuit configured to vary the supply of electricity to the electricalapparatus or system based at least in part on the adopted globallocation coordinates.

In a further preferred aspect, the disclosure sets forth a method forcontrolling a supply of electricity to at least one electrical apparatusor system in a commercial or residential structure. The method includesdetermining that a personal mobile communications device is withinpeer-to-peer communications range of a power management device;receiving, at the power management device, a current global location ofthe personal mobile communications device; adopting the current globallocation of the personal mobile communications device received at thepower management device as the global location of the power managementdevice; and varying the supply of electricity to the electricalapparatus or system based at least in part on the adopted globallocation.

In yet another preferred aspect, the disclosure sets forth a powermanagement device for controlling a supply of electricity to at leastone electrical apparatus or system. The device includes a radiotransceiver configured to communicate with a personal mobilecommunications device in at least two different modes, a first of themodes being a peer-to-peer communications mode, a second of the modesbeing a non-peer-to-peer communication mode. The device also includes apower control relay configured to vary the supply of electricity to theelectrical apparatus and/or system. The device further includes a powerfactor correction circuit including a relay and a capacitor; and a powermeasurement circuit configured to measure power across a mains powerfeed. The device also includes a microcontroller configured to open apeer-to-peer wireless communications link with the personal mobilecommunications device using the first mode, the microcontroller beingconfigured to use power measurement readings from the power measurementcircuit to determine a power factor. The microcontroller is alsoconfigured to use the determined power factor to adjust switching of thepower factor correction circuit relay.

In additional preferred aspect, the disclosure sets forth a powermanagement device for controlling a supply of electricity to at leastone electrical apparatus or system. The device includes a radiotransceiver configured to communicate with a personal mobilecommunications device in at least two different modes, a first of themodes being a peer-to-peer communications mode, a second of the modesbeing a non-peer-to-peer communication mode. The device also includes amains power relay configured to vary the supply of electricity to theelectrical apparatus and/or system. The device includes a power factorcorrection circuit including a relay and a capacitor; and a powermeasurement circuit configured to measure power across a mains powerfeed and determine a power factor based on the power measurementreadings. The device also includes a microcontroller configured to opena peer-to-peer wireless communications link with the personal mobilecommunications device using the first mode, the microcontroller beingconfigured to use the power factor determined from the power measurementcircuit to adjust switching of the power factor correction circuitrelay.

In another preferred aspect, the disclosure sets forth a powermanagement system for controlling a supply of electricity to at leastone electrical apparatus or system. The system includes a powermanagement device including: a radio transceiver configured tocommunicate with a personal mobile communications device in at least twodifferent modes, a first of the modes being a peer-to-peercommunications mode, a second of the modes being a non-peer-to-peercommunication mode; a mains power relay configured to vary the supply ofelectricity to the electrical apparatus and/or system; a powermeasurement circuit configured to measure power across a mains powerfeed; and a microcontroller configured to open a peer-to-peer wirelesscommunications link with the personal mobile communications device usingthe first mode. The system also includes a power factor correctorincluding a relay, a capacitor, and a microcontroller configured to usea power factor value from the power management system, themicrocontroller of the power factor corrector being configured to usethe power factor value to adjust switching of the relay of the powerfactor corrector.

The reference to any prior art in this specification is not, and shouldnot be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that theprior art forms part of the common general knowledge in Australia or inany other country.

The claims as filed and attached with this specification are herebyincorporated by reference into the text of the present description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a smartphone useable with or as part ofa system and method disclosed herein.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the functional elements of a powermanagement device in accordance with a preferred embodiment of thepresent disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a system pictorial representation of the smartphone of FIG. 1and its interaction with the power management device of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a pictorial representation of the communication pathwaysbetween the smartphone of FIG. 1, a power management device of FIG. 2and a service platform.

FIG. 5 is a flow diagram of an exemplary configuration procedureutilizing the smartphone of FIG. 1 to configure the power managementdevice of FIG. 2 as a client device in Wi-Fi WLAN of FIG. 3 inaccordance with one preferred embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 6 is a diagram of an exemplary zero voltage switching methodologyin accordance with one preferred embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 7 is a diagram of an exemplary zero current switching methodologyin accordance with one preferred embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram of the functional elements of a powermanagement device in accordance with an additional preferred embodimentof the present disclosure.

FIG. 9 is a pictorial representation of a firmware component configuredto support multiple communications protocols via protocol softwareplug-ins in accordance with one preferred embodiment of the presentdisclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Alternative embodiments of the disclosure will be apparent to those ofordinary skill in the art from consideration of the specification. It isintended that the specification and examples be considered as exemplaryonly, with a true scope and spirit of the disclosure being indicated bythe claims which follow. It will be understood that the term“comprising” is intended to have a broad, open meaning and not limitedto a particular embodiment.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4, system 100 preferably includes anapplications program, hereby termed a “Product App,” a personalcontroller in the form of a smartphone 10, a power management device 200and a service platform 500. While not shown, power management device 200may communicate with any number of appliances or devices within a PAN orHAN network 24 utilizing the topology and methodology of a chosen sharednetwork communication protocol, standard, or specification, up to themaximum number of devices supported by the chosen communicationprotocol, standard, or specification, the methods of which would beunderstood by a person of ordinary skill in the art of networkcommunications. It will be appreciated that more than one PAN or HANnetwork 24 may operate concurrently or simultaneously in a giveninstallation and that each network may utilize different communicationprotocols, standards, specifications and application profiles.

It will be understood that when needed, the Product App is typicallyused in combination with one or more processors, and where it is hosted,configures what might otherwise be a general purpose processor into aspecial purpose processor according to the functions and parameters ofthe Product App. Preferably, the Product App is downloaded to a computerreadable medium such as a memory in smartphone 10 and operates as ahuman interface for the control, configuration, provisioning,programming and/or interrogation of one or more of power managementdevices 200 as well as a means for displaying, processing and exchangingdata with, and where desirable between, a power management device 200and service platform 500 (FIG. 4). The Product App may reside in or bestored on a number of different computer readable mediums such as, forexample, a cloud server, and physical memories associated with computerdevices, servers, and transportable storage devices and memory sticks.

FIG. 1 is a perspective representation of a smartphone 10 which uses awireless link to communicate with a power management device, describedin further detail below. Smartphone 10 is preferably a commerciallyavailable, conventional smartphone. Some of the basic functions thesmartphone preferably includes are: a touch sensitive graphical screeninterface 12; a radio transceiver; and the ability to run the ProductApp specific to the individual smartphone operating system. In theexamples that follow, specific coding for the Product App has beenomitted for simplicity as a person of ordinary skill in the art would beable to understand and reproduce the functionality of the describedembodiments without the need for discussion on particular coding.

Smartphone 10 is preferably configured to operate across a range ofwireless communications technologies, which in one preferred embodimentincludes the technology to communicate via network Wi-Fi. Smartphone 10may include additional capability for Wi-Fi Direct and/or Bluetoothand/or NFC and/or cellular. In one preferred embodiment, smartphone 10may be equipped with electromagnetic emissions sensing and may use theelectromagnetic signature of a power management device to identify anddisplay the relevant Product App, controls or options for forming acommunications link. While preferred embodiments of the presentdisclosure use a smartphone as its controller, and specifically asmartphone incorporating network Wi-Fi capabilities, other wirelesscommunications methods and systems could be used depending on anyspecific requirements.

Smartphone 10 is preferably equipped with a geographic locationdetermining capability by way of GPS and/or other positional technologysuch as, by way of example only, assisted GPS, synthetic GPS, cell ID,inertial sensors, beacons (including Wi-Fi and Bluetooth beacons),terrestrial transmitters, mapping services and geomagnetic fieldtechniques, or any combination thereof, enabling the personal controllerto determine its relative global location. Where a satellite method isused to determine location, smartphone 10 may preferably utilize one ormore constellation location specifications such as USA GlobalPositioning System (GPS), Russian Global Navigation Satellite System(GOLNASS), European Union Galileo Positioning System, Chinese CompassNavigation System, Indian Regional Navigational Satellite System orothers.

Referring now to FIG. 2, a power management device 200 is shown inaccordance with a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure. Thepower management device shown in FIG. 2 generally is an overview of apreferred single phase power management device with additional preferredforms possible through the configuration of wireless communications andpower control circuits as described below. Power management device 200is a physical device that preferably includes perpetual clock calendar204, system microcontroller 208 with embedded memory, and powermeasurement module 212. Depending on the application and communicationrequirements, power management device 200 may be configured with any mixand number of: adaptable communications 202 with aerial 202 a; localnetwork communications 206 with aerial 206 a; cellular communications210 with aerial 210 a; and power control circuits such as relay drivers214, a first relay 216, and a second relay 218. By way of example, apower control device could be configured with adaptable communications202 or cellular communications 210, or could be configured withadaptable communications 202 and cellular communications 210.

In some preferred embodiments, it may be preferable for systemmicrocontroller 208 to support external memory in addition to, orinstead of, embedded memory. In some preferred embodiments, it may bepreferable for system microcontroller 208 to be fully integrated intoone of the wireless communications sub-systems such as adaptablecommunications 202 or local network communications 206. In somepreferred embodiments, it may be preferable to distribute thecapabilities of system microcontroller 208 across more than onemicrocontroller. By way of example, power management device 200 may beconfigured with one microcontroller managing communications such asadaptable communications 202, local network communications 206 and/orcellular communications 210, with another microcontroller configured tomanage power aspects such as power measurement module 212 and any powercontrol circuits.

Adaptable communications 202 includes the circuitry permitting powermanagement device 200 to communicate with smartphone 10, otherappliances or devices and/or other system elements across one or morecommunications topologies and one or more communication protocols,standards, or specifications as will be described in further detailbelow. Such appliances or devices may include other power managementdevices, smart meters, sub-meters, interval meters, home appliances anddevices, industrial appliances and devices, thermostats, inverters,solar systems, battery systems, electric cars, hubs, routers and/orother networked elements. Local network communications 206 includes thecircuitry permitting power management device 200 to communicate withother appliances or devices and/or other system elements in a PAN or HANacross one or more communications topologies and one or morecommunication protocols, standards, or specifications as will bedescribed in further detail below. Such appliances or devices mayinclude other power management devices, smart meters, sub-meters,interval meters, home appliances and devices, industrial appliances anddevices, thermostats, inverters, solar systems, battery systems,electric cars, hubs, routers and/or other system or networked elements.Cellular communications 210 includes the circuitry permitting powermanagement device 200 to communicate with smartphone 10 and/or othersystem elements across one or more communications topologies and one ormore communication protocols, standards, or specifications as will bedescribed in further detail below.

While not show, in one preferred embodiment power management device 200preferably includes the necessary circuitry and components tocommunicate by way of power line communications and includes thenecessary capabilities for impressing a modulated carrier signal ontomains power wiring. The supported power line communications may be byway of any protocol, standard or specification that facilitatescommunication by a power management device 200 using mains power wiring.In one preferred embodiment, power line communications incorporates oneor more of: the HomePlug Powerline Alliance Homeplug standards orspecifications including HomePlug Green PHY or Homeplug AV2; any G3-PLCAlliance standards or specifications or equivalent 802.15.4technologies; IEEE 1901, 1901.1, 1901.2 standards or specifications;and/or ITU-T's G.hn standards or specifications; including anyamendments, extensions, subsets, revisions or proprietaryimplementations. Other suitable protocols, standards or specificationsinclude, but are not limited to, those from the Universal PowerlineAssociation, SiConnect, the HD-PLC Alliance, Xsilon, and the PowerlineIntelligent Metering Evolution Alliance. Power line communication,control methods and system attributes that may be incorporated into apower management device are described in PCT Application No.PCT/AU2013/001157, filed Oct. 8, 2013, titled “Wireless Power Controland Metrics”, PCT Application No. PCT/AU2015/050077, filed Feb. 25,2015, titled “Wireless and Power Line Light Pairing, Diming andControl”, PCT Application No. PCT/AU2015/050136, filed 30 Mar. 2015,titled “Wireless Power Metering and Metrics”, and PCT Application No.PCT/AU2015/050290, filed May 28, 2015, titled “Wireless Power Control,Metrics and Management, the entire contents of each application beingincorporated herein by reference. In one preferred embodiment, powerline communications may be implemented using a single chip solution withintegrated random access memory (RAM), physical layer (PHY), mediumaccess controller (MAC), and analog front end.

While not shown, in one preferred embodiment power management device 200preferably includes the necessary circuitry and components tocommunicate by way of bidirectional visible, infrared or ultravioletoptical wireless communications such as, and by way of example, Li-Fi.

While not shown, in one preferred embodiment power management device 200preferably includes the necessary circuitry and components tocommunicate by way of near field magnetic induction (NFMI).

While not shown, in one preferred embodiment power management device 200preferably includes the necessary circuitry and components tocommunicate via cabled or optical fibre networking technologies such as,and by way of example, Ethernet.

Perpetual clock calendar 204 preferably includes a power backup by theway of a battery or supercapacitor enabling real time to be accuratelymaintained in instances where power is lost. Inclusion of a perpetualclock calendar 204 allows system microcontroller 208 to automaticallygenerate commands; record data; perform a function, measurement orcalculation; sequence events; time stamp; and/or exchange data, based ontime and/or date. In some preferred embodiments, perpetual clockcalendar 204 may be omitted where power management device 200 does notperform any time or date dependant operations or receives clock datafrom an external source via a communications connection. In somepreferred embodiments, perpetual clock calendar 204 may be an embeddedfunction of system microcontroller 208.

Power management device 200 is preferably configured with a physicalinterface for connection to the mains power wiring in a building,structure or installation and preferably includes the necessary currenttransformer, resistive voltage divider, potential transformer (voltagetransformer) or instrument transformers to appropriately isolate ortransform voltage or current levels for the purpose of takingmeasurements through power measurement 212. An installation includesdedicated applications such as, by way of example only, a dedicatedpumping facility or lighting in a public park.

In one preferred embodiment, power management device 200 preferablyincorporates a terminal block configured for wiring directly into themains power of a building, structure or installation. In one preferredembodiment, power management device 200 mounts in accordance with a railstandard, such as a DIN rail standard, allowing it to install alongsidecircuit breakers or industrial electrical equipment in a typical circuitbreaker box. It may be desirable in certain applications to integrate acircuit breaker within power management device 200. In another preferredembodiment, a power management device 200 is preferably configured in aweather resistant housing, a general purpose housing, wall panel, orbehind a wall mounted panel, or integrated into a general purpose poweroutlet or three phase power outlet. In another preferred embodiment,power management device 200 is configured for compatibility with theNEMA 5-15 North American or BS 1363 mains power standard allowing it toplug directly into a mains power general purpose outlet and accept anappliance or device plugged into it. In one preferred embodiment, powermanagement device 200 may take the physical form of a fullyself-contained plug in pack or “wall wart”. In another preferredembodiment, power management device 200 may have a flying lead. Inanother preferred embodiment, power management device 200 may beintegrated into an energy consuming device or appliance. In anotherpreferred embodiment, power management device 200 may take the physicalform of a module with a housing and an interface configured to beplugged into an energy consuming device or appliance. Modular and systemattributes that may be incorporated into a power management device aredescribed in PCT Application No. PCT/AU2013/000260, filed Mar. 15, 2013,titled “Modular Wireless Power, Light and Automation Control”, and PCTApplication No. PCT/AU2014/050383, filed Nov. 27, 2014, titled “ModularWireless Power, Light and Automation Control with User Verification”,the entire contents of each application being incorporated herein byreference. A power management device 200 may be configured for singlephase or three phase applications as required. A power management device200 may be configured for use in a ship, aeroplane, train or vehicle. Itwill be appreciated that a power management device 200 can be configuredaccording to the wiring, connecting, mounting, plug and socket, andcurrent and voltage requirements of various countries and applicationswithout departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

In one preferred embodiment, any circuitry, components, elements, systemattributes or sub-systems (including wireless communications) of powermanagement device 200 can be incorporated into power management device200 by way of an interchangeable, removable, plug-in module.

In one preferred embodiment, adaptable communications 202 is preferablyconfigured as an interchangeable module with a physical interface forconnection to power management device 200. Where so configured,adaptable communications 202 and power management device 200 maypreferably be configured with the necessary authentication hardware,firmware or software for establishing a secure communications link afterbeing physically coupled. It can be appreciated that adaptablecommunications 202 configured as an interchangeable module may alsopreferably utilize authentication hardware, firmware or software forestablishing a secure communications link with the Product App. In onepreferred embodiment, the Product App may preferably verify with serviceplatform 500 authorization or authentication to establish acommunications link with power management device 200 through adaptablecommunications 202 or any other wireless system within power managementdevice 200. Where the Product App is not authorized to communicate withpower management device 200, service platform 500 may send a command tothe Product App preventing a communications link from being establishedand may further selectively or completely disable the Product App fromfunctioning.

In one preferred embodiment, adaptable communications 202 configured asan interchangeable module may preferably verify with service platform500 authorization or authentication to establish a communications linkwith power management device 200 through a communications link with theProduct App or utilizing any other wireless communications within powermanagement device 200. Where adaptable communications 202 configured asan interchangeable module is not authorized to communicate with powermanagement device 200, service platform 500 may send a command toadaptable communications 202 configured as an interchangeable modulethrough any available communication channel, including through theProduct App, disabling adaptable communications 202 configured as aninterchangeable module from functioning. In that way, adaptablecommunications 202 configured as an interchangeable module couldfunction as a “secure wireless key” allowing a user to access multipledifferent power management devices without having to manage differentSSID, names, passwords or other connection or security elements for eachindividual power management device were adaptable communications 202 areembedded.

Power management device 200 may be configured with a power backup by wayof a battery, rechargeable cell or supercapacitor to ensure that all, orsome, system elements can continue to function in the case of mainspower loss or blackout. By way of example only, power management device200 may be configured with a power backup reserve allowing messages tobe wirelessly transmitted from power management device 200 where mainspower is lost. In some preferred embodiments, power management device200 may preferably be configured to operate from its own power supply,which may be by way of battery, rechargeable cell, supercapacitor,solar, wind or any combination thereof.

The commands and responses between system microcontroller 208 andsmartphone 10 can preferably be communicated through a radio frequencywireless link supported by adaptable communications 202 and aerial 202a. Adaptable communications 202 preferably includes any number andcombination of integrated circuits, components, controllers,transceivers, radios, memory, microprocessors, and aerials that providea network Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi peer-to-peer connection, or connections,individually or concurrently, with the ability to optionally supportBluetooth. Depending on cost and desired outcome, adaptablecommunications 202 may use any number and combination of radios,aerials, transceivers, microprocessors, memory, components, integratedcircuits and controllers either individually, collectively, or as asystem in a package (SiP) or as a system on a chip (SoC) or as a packageon package (PoP); a combination or “combo” chip that aggregates thefunctionality of a number of transceivers and controllers of differentstandards as a SiP or SoC; or using any combination and number of combochip(s), SiP(s), SoC(s), PoP(s) and/or discrete integrated circuits,radios, aerials, transceivers, microprocessors, memory, components andcontrollers. Adaptable communications may utilize single or multiple:wireless bands; physical channels; virtual channels; modes; or othercoexistence technologies and algorithms. Depending on the chosenhardware components, adaptable communications 202 may include sharedantenna support and shared signal receiving paths to eliminate the needfor an external splitter or reduce the number of aerials required. Inone preferred embodiment, adaptable communications 202 may be configuredto support other standards such as ZigBee. If desired, an additionalaerial or aerials may be added where desirable.

Adaptable communications 202 is configured with a Wi-Fi radio thatpreferably operates in a peer-to-peer mode, utilizing Wi-Fi Direct orsimulating a Wi-Fi access point, and in a network Wi-Fi mode. In onepreferred embodiment, adaptable communications 202 configured with aWi-Fi radio is preferably capable of operating in a peer-to-peer mode,utilizing Wi-Fi Direct or simulating a Wi-Fi access point, and in anetwork Wi-Fi mode concurrently. Concurrent connections may includesupport for multiple MAC entities which, for example, may be maintainedusing two separate physical MAC entities, each associated with its ownPHY entity, or using a single PHY entity encompassing two or morevirtual MAC entities.

When adaptable communications 202 operates using a peer-to-peer Wi-Fispecification or standard, preferably Wi-Fi Direct or simulating a Wi-Fiaccess point, it can communicate with smartphones that support networkWi-Fi or Wi-Fi Direct on a peer-to-peer basis without the need for anyintermediary hardware. Adaptable communications 202 is preferablyconfigured to operate according to the Wi-Fi Direct specification asboth a Wi-Fi Direct group participant and software access point oradaptable communications 202 is preferably configured as a SoftAP,allowing power management device 200 to simulate an infrastructure modeWi-Fi access point and appear to smartphones communicating with networkWi-Fi as a conventional Wi-Fi access point. In that way, adaptablecommunications 202 is able to establish a peer-to-peer communicationslink with a network Wi-Fi device even though the network Wi-Fi devicemay not support Wi-Fi Direct. In this instance, a smartphone usingnetwork Wi-Fi to communicate will receive a network discovery message,beacon, probe response and/or Service Set Identifier (SSID) from powermanagement device 200 as if power management device 200 were aconventional Wi-Fi access point and the smartphone will be able toestablish a peer-to-peer communications link with the power managementdevice as though it were connecting as a client to a conventional Wi-Fiaccess point. Smartphone 10 and power management device 200 can thenform a peer-to-peer communications link using an infrastructure mode ofWi-Fi rather than Ad Hoc mode. The procedure of establishing acommunications link between a Wi-Fi Direct device, or a devicesimulating an access point, and network Wi-Fi devices are defined by theWi-Fi Alliance and IEEE Wi-Fi standards and specifications and would beunderstood by practitioners skilled in communications systems protocols.

In one preferred embodiment, adaptable communications 202 is preferablyconfigured as a Group Owner so that a network Wi-Fi device, such assmartphone 10, using an 802.11 scan process, such as that defined in the802.11-2012—IEEE Standard for Information technology—Telecommunicationsand Information Exchange Between Systems Local and Metropolitan AreaNetworks—Specific Requirements Part 11: Wireless LAN Medium AccessControl (MAC) and Physical Layer (PHY) Specifications or its equivalent,will receive a probe response frame from adaptable communications 202 asper an 802.11-IEEE Standard allowing the network Wi-Fi device topreferably initiate a Wi-Fi Simple Configuration in order to connectwith power management device 200.

Wi-Fi Direct has a number of advantages which simplify communicationsbetween a power management device and a smartphone. Significantadvantages include mobility and portability, where a smartphone andpower management device only need to be within radio range of each otherto establish a wireless communications link. Wi-Fi Direct offers securecommunications through means such as Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA, WPA2)protocols and encryption for transported messages, ensuring the systemremains secure to qualified devices. One of the advantages ofconfiguring adaptable communications 202 with Wi-Fi Direct or tosimulate a Wi-Fi access point is that it allows a smartphone with onlynetwork Wi-Fi to engage in a peer-to-peer data exchange with a powermanagement device even though the smartphone network Wi-Fi was neverintended to support on-demand, peer-to-peer or point-to-pointcommunications.

Another advantage of configuring a power management device 200 withWi-Fi Direct or having it simulate an access point is that it can beinstalled and used in situations where there is no Wi-Fi networkavailable. This greatly extends the functionality of a power managementdevice without reliance on a Wi-Fi network.

As smartphones continue to evolve, new models include Wi-Fi Directsupport in addition to network Wi-Fi. In one preferred embodiment of thepresent disclosure, and without limiting the ability to use any otherWi-Fi Direct methods such as P2P autonomous group formation or P2Ppersistent group formation, power management device 200 and smartphone10 preferably utilize a P2P standard group formation method andnegotiate a P2P group according to the Wi-Fi Direct specification. Powermanagement device 200 and smartphone 10 preferably discover each otherutilizing a process of scanning, finding and exchange of probe requestsand probe responses leading to negotiation as to which device willassume the role of Group Owner in accordance with the Wi-Fi AllianceWi-Fi Direct specification. Once a Group Owner has been negotiated, itwill preferably beacon on a selected channel allowing a securepeer-to-peer communication link to be established through Wi-Fiprotected setup provisioning and a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol(DHCP) exchange to set up the internet protocol configuration.

The Wi-Fi Direct specification allows any Wi-Fi Direct device to be aGroup Owner, and, depending on the capabilities of the device, thenegotiation procedure determines the most suitable device to performthis role. In one preferred embodiment, power management device 200 ispreferably configured with the highest priority Group Owner Intent Valueto negotiate a Wi-Fi Direct connection as Group Owner. By operating asGroup Owner, power management device 200 can maintain a number ofsimultaneous peer-to-peer connections in what is commonly referred to asa hub and spoke arrangement, although it may be desirable in somecircumstances to limit the number of open connections to a 1:1 ratio.

In one preferred embodiment, power management device 200 is preferablyconfigured to autonomously create a P2P group in immediately becomingthe Group Owner. Through a beacon from power management device 200,other devices can discover the power management device's establishedgroup using Wi-Fi scanning mechanisms, and then directly proceed withWi-Fi protected setup provisioning and address configuration to join thegroup as a P2P Client. In this instance the negotiation of the GroupOwner role between the smartphone 10 and power management device 200 isnotionally resolved through the power management device 200 autonomouslyspecifying its role as Group Owner.

In one preferred embodiment, where a power management device 200 andsmartphone 10 have previously formed a Wi-Fi Direct communications link,power management device 200 and/or smartphone 10 can preferably declarea group as persistent by using a flag in the P2P capabilities attributepresent in beacon frames, probe responses and/or Group Owner negotiationframes. In that way, the power management device and smartphone storenetwork credentials and their assigned roles as a Group Owner or P2PClient for subsequent re-instantiations of the group. After thediscovery phase, if power management device 200 or smartphone 10recognizes that they have formed a persistent group with each other inthe past, either power management device 200 or smartphone 10 can usethe Wi-Fi Direct invitation procedure to quickly re-instantiate thegroup rather than re-negotiating which device will take on the GroupOwner role.

In one preferred embodiment, it may be desirable for power managementdevice 200 to disclose its services and/or identity prior toestablishing a full communications connection. This preferably enablesan app, such as the Product App, or smartphone operating system tosearch for and identify nearby power management devices via advertisedservices, thereby allowing the app or smartphone operating system toignore other devices prior to establishing a communications link with apower management device, or identify power management devices with whicha communications link could be formed, or trigger an action based on thediscovery of a power management device's services and/or identity.

In one preferred embodiment, power management device 200 is preferablyconfigured to support Neighbor Awareness Networking (NAN) or any otherproximity based service discovery according to the Wi-Fi Alliance'stechnical specifications, including architecture, technologies,methodologies, protocols, standards or specifications forinteroperability amongst Wi-Fi Aware™ devices. NAN or Wi-Fi proximitybased service discovery allows smartphone 10 or an app, such as theProduct App, to discover a power management device 200 and itscapabilities through small service discovery messages and synchronizebefore making a full Wi-Fi connection utilizing any implementation ofpeer-to-peer Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct or network Wi-Fi. In that way, asmartphone's operating system, an application programming interface(API) or an app, such as the Product App, may preferably search for: anddisplay relevant power management devices prior to establishing acommunications link; recommend to a user, or automatically download, anappropriate app in order to control a power management device; and/oralert a user to, or automatically open, an appropriate app alreadyinstalled on a smartphone in order to control a power management device.The foregoing is by way of example only and does not limit utilizing NANor proximity based service discovery as a trigger for other suitablecontextual actions. In one preferred embodiment, where power managementdevice 200 is configured to support NAN or Wi-Fi proximity based servicediscovery, it may preferably be configured as a NAN InfrastructureDevice with a high Master Preference value, for example greater than orequal to 128, or the contemporaneous equivalent.

In one preferred embodiment, power management device 200 may beconfigured to support multiple MAC entities. Where power managementdevice 200 is configured to support multiple MAC entities, it maypreferably operate as a NAN Concurrent Device and run concurrently in aNAN network while maintaining a separate communications link utilizingWi-Fi Direct or network Wi-Fi.

In one preferred embodiment, power management device 200 is preferablyconfigured to support Bluetooth proximity beaconing and may utilizeApple iBeacon, Google Eddystone or any other suitable profile orprotocol for proximity based service and/or identity beaconing includingany extensions, revisions or proprietary implementations. Wheredesirable, Bluetooth proximity beaconing may be configured so that powermanagement device 200 does not accept any connections through aBluetooth radio operating as a proximity beacon. Where a powermanagement device 200 is configured with Bluetooth proximity beaconing,smartphone 10 operating system, a proximity beacon API, or an app, suchas the Product App, can preferably utilize beacon information broadcastby power management device 200 as a trigger to initiate a proximitybased action. By way of example, this may include: recommending to auser, or automatically downloading, an appropriate Product App in orderto control a power management device; alerting a user to, orautomatically opening, an appropriate Product App already installed on asmartphone in order to control a power management device; and/or listingin a Product App relevant nearby power management devices that canpreferably be selected and controlled through the Product App.

While examples have been provided for Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, it can beappreciated that power management device 200 can be configured topreferably utilize any methodology, topology, technology, protocol,standard or specification for proximity based service discovery orbeaconing without departing from the scope of the present invention. Byway of example, Apple iBeacon or Google Eddystone may be adapted fordifferent carrier mediums other than Bluetooth, such as Wi-Fi, so thatpower management device 200 may preferably be configured to supportApple iBeacon and/or Google Eddystone through Wi-Fi. In one preferredembodiment, service discovery information may include instructions ordata that could be utilized by the Product App or power managementdevice 200 to open a wireless communications link.

In one preferred embodiment, power management device 200 may preferablybe configured to use the detection of a proximity beacon from anotherdevice as a trigger for executing a configurable or desirable action. Byway of example, power management device 200 may be configured toactivate a power control circuit or particular wireless communicationson detection of a proximity beacon from smartphone 10.

System microcontroller 208 preferably incorporates an operating systemand software, such as a firmware program, which defines the operationand functions of power management device 200 and assumes responsibilityfor controlling program code and system elements, such as: specifying,provisioning and controlling the operational modes of adaptablecommunications 202; control and interrogation of perpetual clockcalendar 204; specifying, provisioning and controlling the operationalmodes of local network communications 206; specifying, provisioning andcontrolling the operational modes of cellular communications 210;control and interrogation of power measurement 212; and control of anypower control circuits such as relay 216 and relay 218. Systemmicrocontroller 208 preferably includes non-volatile memory to store anyprogram and configuration data and any data received from a smartphone,the Product App, software, service platform, a third party, or applianceor device. In some preferred embodiments, non-volatile memory may beexternal to system microcontroller 208. In some preferred embodiments,more than one microcontroller may be used. System microcontroller 208 ispreferably configured to store measurement data from power measurement212 to the non-volatile memory and may preferably utilize a filemanagement system where desirable. In one preferred embodiment, powermanagement device 200 is preferably configured to use an MS-DOS FAT filesystem, such as FAT-12, implemented on a flash storage device.

When power management device 200 is manufactured, system microcontroller208 preferably holds the firmware and software to operate powermanagement device 200 as a network Wi-Fi device, Wi-Fi Direct deviceand/or SoftAP. When power is applied to a power management device 200for the first time, system microcontroller 208 preferably startsadaptable communications 202 in a peer-to-peer mode allowing it to bediscovered by a smartphone within wireless range.

It can be appreciated that a power management device operating as aWi-Fi peer-to-peer device can communicate directly with a smartphonewithout needing a Wi-Fi WLAN access point. Power management device 200preferably: simulates a Wi-Fi access point if smartphone 10 is not usingWi-Fi Direct to communicate; or negotiates with smartphone 10 acommunication link according to Group Owner Intent Values, or as anautonomous Group Owner, if smartphone 10 is using Wi-Fi Direct tocommunicate. The user is then able to establish a peer-to-peercommunications link and exchange data directly with the selected powermanagement device without the need for any other device.

In one preferred embodiment, power management device 200 in apeer-to-peer mode is preferably configured to simulate a Wi-Fi accesspoint or operate as a SoftAP without support for Wi-Fi Direct. In thatcase, a smartphone would preferably establish a peer-to-peercommunications link with a power management device as if connecting as aclient to a Wi-Fi access point, but could not negotiate with a powermanagement device a Wi-Fi Direct connection even if smartphone 10supported Wi-Fi Direct.

Where desirable, power management device 200 may be configured tooperate as a SoftAP or Group Owner and communicate with one or moreother power management devices connected to power management device 200as a network client or P2P Client of power management device 200.

A preferred method for configuring and controlling power managementdevice 200 is through a related Product App. Installation instructionsfor the Product App are preferably included with the power managementdevice. The Product App preferably adopts the same centralized app storeinstallation methods commonly utilised by conventional smartphoneplatforms.

The Product App may communicate through any mix of wireless elements,radio technologies and communication channels to seamlessly provide thebest communications link with a power management device 200. The ProductApp preferably controls smartphone 10 wireless communications in orderto initiate, search and establish a wireless communications link with apower management device 200. The Product App may preferably displaypreconfigured and new power management devices via graphical elements onsmartphone touch screen 12.

When the Product App starts, it preferably scans for power managementdevices and identifies any new power management device that needs to beinitially configured. At this point, if a wireless peer-to-peerconnection has not already been established between the smartphone and anew power management device, the Product App preferably allows the userto establish a wireless peer-to-peer connection with the desired powermanagement device. Where supported by adaptable communications 202, theProduct App preferably allows a user to determine if a power managementdevice is to: operate in peer-to-peer mode and remain a Wi-Fi Directgroup participant; simulate a Wi-Fi access point; operate in networkWi-Fi mode and connect to a WLAN as a client and become a network Wi-Fidevice; or operate concurrently in a Wi-Fi peer-to-peer mode and networkWi-Fi mode.

In a situation where the smartphone operating system does not allow theProduct App to control the smartphone wireless communications in orderto establish a peer-to-peer link with a power management device, theuser may use any mechanism provided by the smartphone to establish apeer-to-peer communication link with a power management device prior tostarting the Product App or through the Product App. This could, by wayof example, include accessing the smartphone Wi-Fi settings screen andmanually selecting the SSID that corresponds to a power managementdevice 200 and entering any information or passwords needed to connectto the power management device as the desired Wi-Fi network.

If the user wants a new power management device to run in a peer-to-peermode, preferably utilizing Wi-Fi Direct or simulating a Wi-Fi accesspoint, they preferably select this option in the Product App. TheProduct App then leads the user through a series of data inputs usingthe smartphone's touch screen 12 as a human interface. The Product Appcommunicates with system microcontroller 208 and replaces the generalparameters used for the initial connection to specific parameters whichdefine the power management device as a unique product. These mayinclude: setting a unique encryption key so all data transfers betweenthe power management device and the smartphone are protected; settingthe power management device or SSID name to a unique, easilyrecognisable identifier; and setting a password in the power managementdevice used to establish a secure link. It can be appreciated that incertain circumstances it may be desirable to configure a powermanagement device 200 without a password, thereby operating open orunsecured.

The Product App or smartphone operating system preferably maintains arecord of these specific parameters in the smartphone memory for futureidentification of, and connection to, the configured power managementdevice.

Once the setup procedure is complete, the Product App preferablycommands the power management device firmware and software toreconfigure which may involve a “restart”. When the applicationsfirmware and software reconfigures, the power management device will usethe specified data to populate and create its own unique identity. Auser will then be able to connect to that power management device usingthe new specific parameters. Where the smartphone operating systemallows, the Product App or smartphone operating system can preferablyautomatically establish a peer-to-peer communications link with a knownpower management device each time the user selects that particulardevice in the Product App or smartphone Wi-Fi settings.

Once a power management device has been configured, any other smartphonecan only connect if the user knows the specific parameters that are nowunique to that particular power management device. If a secondsmartphone searches for Wi-Fi access points or Wi-Fi Direct devices, itwill see the configured power management device with the characteristicthat it is “secure” where a password has been set. To connect to it, auser will have to know the specific password allocated to that powermanagement device, otherwise it will not be able to establish acommunications link. If the password is known and entered into thesmartphone when requested, a communication link between the secondsmartphone and the power management device will be established. TheProduct App is still preferably required to control the power managementdevice and this may have additional security measures or security truststructures, such as passwords, keys, certificates and/or encryptiondepending on the nature of the application.

If, instead of configuring the newly installed power management devicein peer-to-peer mode, the user chooses it to operate in network Wi-Fimode, this is selected as the required option and the Product Apppreferably determines if there are one or more WLANs available for thepower management device to connect to as a client through a scan orinformation provided by the smartphone's communications applicationinterface. The Product App requests the user to confirm the preferrednetwork and asks the user to confirm and/or input any necessary networkparameters such as the network password so the power management devicecan connect to the chosen WLAN as a client.

The Product App communicates with system microcontroller 208 and setsthe parameters needed for the power management device to establishitself as a network Wi-Fi client which may include any parameters thatuniquely identify the power management device on a network. When all ofthe appropriate parameters are known and updated, the Product Apppreferably commands the power management device to enable its firmwareand software as a network Wi-Fi device which may involve a “restart”.The power management device then connects to the WLAN as a client and isaccessible by the smartphone Product App via the WLAN access point. Thepower management device running as a network Wi-Fi client can then becontrolled by other smartphones and computers on the same WLAN orremotely through the internet. In one preferred embodiment, it may bedesirable for the power management device to include additional securitymeasures such as password protection, a socket layer within the ProductApp, security keys or certificates, encryption, a hardware authorizationchip, or other measures or trust structures to prevent the powermanagement device being controlled by other devices through the networkwithout authorization.

A power management device preferably includes any necessary networkingprotocols to assist in discovery on a network or peer-to-peer, which mayinclude one or more of: Bonjour, Simple Service Discovery Protocol(SSDP), Bluetooth® Service Discovery Protocol (SDP), DNS servicediscovery (DNS/DNS-SD), Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP),Internet Storage Name Service (iSNS), Jini for Java objects, ServiceLocation Protocol (SLP), Session Announcement Protocol (SAP) for RTPsessions, Simple Service Discovery Protocol (SSDP) for Universal Plugand Play (UPnP), Universal Description Discovery and Integration (UDDI)for web services, Web Proxy Autodiscovery protocol (WPAD), Web ServicesDynamic Discovery (WS-Discovery), XMPP Service Discovery (XEP-0030),and/or XRDS for XRI, OpenID, OAuth, etc.

Preferably, where the smartphone is configured to determine from a powermanagement device's wireless signal, or during service discovery, that apower management device is a new wireless device that can be configuredas a WLAN network client, the smartphone operating system, an API, anapp or Product App preferably allows a user to automatically input thenecessary network parameters of a known WLAN from the smartphone'smemory into the power management device wirelessly using a peer-to-peercommunications link to configure the power management device as anetwork client of the known WLAN. The smartphone may also be able todetermine from a power management device's wireless signal, or duringservice discovery, a product identifier preferably allowing thesmartphone to automatically download, or direct a user to, the powermanagement device's related Product App from the appropriate App store.

In one preferred embodiment, power management device 200 may beconfigured to support Apple Wireless Accessory Configuration, includingany related software, firmware or hardware authentication required toestablish a secure peer-to-peer Wi-Fi communications link between powermanagement device 200 and smartphone 10 used to automatically configurepower management device 200 as a client of a known Wi-Fi network. Wheredesirable, power management device 200 and the Product App maypreferably be configured to support Apple HomeKit.

Once a power management device has been configured as a Wi-Fi Directdevice, simulated Wi-Fi access point or a network Wi-Fi device, itpreferably continues to operate in that mode even after it has beenpowered off and then on again. All of the specific operating parametersfor each mode are preferably saved in the non-volatile memory and areretained if power is removed. When power is restored, systemmicrocontroller 208 powers up the same Wi-Fi mode that was runningbefore power was removed, and the appropriate firmware, software andoperating parameters are restored from non-volatile memory. It can beappreciated that where adaptable communications 202 has its owndedicated microcontroller, the Wi-Fi mode and the appropriate firmware,software and operating parameters may be restored from non-volatilememory by the adaptable communications 202 microcontroller rather thansystem microcontroller 208.

There are applications where a power management device runningconcurrent peer-to-peer and network Wi-Fi capabilities is desirable. Inthis situation, the user via the Product App may activate both modes,allowing either mode to be used. Equally, the user, via the Product App,can choose to disable one of the modes, or can change from apeer-to-peer mode to network Wi-Fi mode, or vice versa, as desired.Concurrent peer-to-peer and network Wi-Fi capabilities may be configuredaccording to the desired security requirements of a particularapplication. By way of example, where power management device 200operates a network WLAN and peer-to-peer connection concurrently, powermanagement device 200 may allow third parties to control or accessfunctions via the peer-to-peer connection without allowing access to theconcurrent WLAN connection, thus preventing access to other WLANdevices. This may be particularly useful where a technician needs totrouble shoot a power management device and can do so peer-to-peerwithout needing access to the WLAN. Alternately, power management device200 may allow remote monitoring of the system or data exchange via thenetwork WLAN connection while limiting actual control of the system to apeer-to-peer connection.

Each time a communications mode is configured or changed, the newparameters are preferably retained by system microcontroller 208 in theevent power is disconnected or lost. When power is restored, systemmicrocontroller 208 powers up in the same mode as previously operatingbefore power was removed, and the appropriate operating parameters arerestored from the non-volatile memory. In that way, systemmicrocontroller 208 preferably is configured with an adapted defaultsetting that can be restored from the non-volatile memory. In onepreferred embodiment, operating parameters for adaptable communications202 may preferably be stored and reinitialized by a microcontroller inadaptable communications 202. It can be appreciated that the operatingparameters for local network communications 206, cellular communications210 or any other communications network could also be preferably storedand reinitialized by a dedicated microcontroller rather than systemmicrocontroller 208. It is envisaged that there may be times when apower management device, or a sub-system, needs to be completely reset.The Product App is preferably able to communicate with a powermanagement device and command it to re-initialise, or re-initialise asub-system, to the factory default configuration. In this case, alluser-defined parameters that were loaded into the power managementdevice are lost and it is returned to its factory default state, readyto receive new user-defined parameters.

A power management device may incorporate a human interface in the formof a switch(s), button(s), capacitive/proximity touch pad(s) oraccelerometer configured to detect a tap or knock, which the user coulduse to cause the power management device to: perform a control function;re-initialise to the factory default configuration without the use of asmartphone or Product App; reboot the system; or assist in establishinga communications link, such as initializing a Wi-Fi Protected Setup. Inone preferred embodiment, the power management device may be configuredto accept a command via adaptable communications 202, local networkcommunications 206 or cellular communications 210 causing it tore-initialize to the factory default configuration without the directwireless use of a smartphone or Product App on the smartphone. Wheredesired, a power management device may be configured for operationwithout any manual inputs on the device itself.

In one preferred embodiment, a button, switch, capacitive/proximitytouch pad or accelerometer may be used to activate a wirelesscommunications system of power management device 200 rather than havethat wireless communications system run continuously drawing power. Byway of example, a button may be used to activate adaptablecommunications 202 where a user wishes to establish a peer-to-peerwireless communications link. In one preferred embodiment, biometricidentification through means such as an iris, retinal or fingerprintscanner, may be used to preferably activate a wireless communicationslink or other system element of power management device 200. Powermanagement device 200 may be configured to locally store authorizedbiometric signatures or may transmit a biometric signature to anexternal service platform for verification and authorization prior toactivating a wireless communications link or other system of powermanagement device 200. It can be appreciated that where so equipped,biometric identification may be used for controlling access or securityof other features within power management device 200 or to perform anyother desirable human interface functions which could, by way ofexample, be performing a control function; re-initialise to a factorydefault configuration; or rebooting the system.

In one preferred embodiment, adaptable communications 202 may includeBluetooth capabilities in addition to, or instead of, peer-to-peer Wi-Fiand network Wi-Fi capabilities. A peer-to-peer Bluetooth communicationlink between smartphone 10 and power management device 200 may be usedby the Product App to enter parameters for: establishing or opening apeer-to-peer Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct or network Wi-Fi communications link;establishing or opening a local network communications link; and/orprovisioning a cellular data or low power wide area network link. ABluetooth communication link may in its own right operate as apeer-to-peer communications link for the exchange of data between theProduct App and power management device 200. The Product App, thesmartphone operating system, an API, another app, software or a humaninterface on power management device 200 in the form of touch pad(s),button(s), switch(s), accelerometer or sound transducer(s) mayfacilitate the establishment of a Bluetooth peer-to-peer connectionbetween power management device 200 and smartphone 10. The Product Appmay be configured to allow a user to specify Bluetooth as the preferredpeer-to-peer communication method between a power management device 200and smartphone 10. The Bluetooth connection preferably utilizes thesecure transmission methods and protocols native to the chosen Bluetoothstandard.

Where smartphone 10 and power management device 200 use a proprietaryimplementation of peer-to-peer Wi-Fi or an adaptation of Wi-Fi Direct,power management device 200 and smartphone 10 are preferably configuredto use the handshake, negotiation methods, protocols, standards,specifications and configuration requirements particular to thatproprietary implementation of peer-to-peer Wi-Fi or adaptation of Wi-FiDirect, and may incorporate any hardware, software, firmware orauthentication schemes necessary, and may use an alternate wirelessnetwork or beacon, such as Bluetooth, to facilitate the establishment ofa peer-to-peer Wi-Fi communication link where desirable.

In a preferred form of the present disclosure, a communications link ormode utilising the ad-hoc Independent Basic Service Set (IBSS) mode ofIEEE 802.11 (as commonly understood by those of ordinary skill in theart) is hereby expressly excluded.

In one preferred embodiment, the power management device may include NFCcapability that the smartphone operating system, API or an app, such asthe Product App, could use when first communicating with a new powermanagement device to automatically establish a network Wi-Fi,peer-to-peer Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, Bluetooth or other communications linkon smartphones that support NFC. This process is commonly referred to as“bootstrapping” and is an established method for initializingcommunications familiar to those skilled in the art.

In one preferred embodiment, adaptable communications 202 may preferablybe configured to support an IEEE 802.11 protocol or standard for sub-1GHz wireless communications, such as 802.11 ah or Wi-Fi HaLow, inaddition to, or instead of, an IEEE 802.11 protocol or standard for 2.4GHz, 5 GHz and/or 60 GHz, such as 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ad. Without limitingany other network configurations enabled by a chosen protocol orstandard, where adaptable communications 202 supports an IEEE 802.11protocol or standard for sub-1 GHz wireless communications, powermanagement device 200 may preferably be configured to operate as a relayaccess point such as in a two-hop or multi-hop network structure.

Referring back to FIG. 2, in one preferred embodiment, local networkcommunications 206 preferably includes any combination and number ofintegrated circuits, components, controllers, transceivers, radios,aerials, memory, microprocessors, SiPs, PoPs, or SoCs that allow systemmicrocontroller 208 to communicate with other devices in a PAN or HANvia any suitable wireless PAN or HAN protocol, standard, applicationprofile or specification, including one or more of: any ZigBee protocol,standard, application profile or specification published by the ZigBeeAlliance; any ANT protocol, standard or specification; any protocol,standard or specification published by the WI-SUN Alliance; any Threadprotocol, standard or specification published by the Thread GroupAlliance; any Z-Wave protocol, standard or specification; and/or anyprotocol, standard or specification based on IEEE 802.15 including, butnot limited to, IEEE 802.15.4; including any amendments, extensions,subsets, revisions or proprietary implementations. An aerial 206 a, oraerials, may be added as needed.

Local network communications 206 may be configured to utilize a ZigBeeAlliance Smart Energy, Home Automation or aggregated profile (such asZigBee 3.X or later) protocol, standard, application profile orspecification where desirable.

In one preferred embodiment, and without limiting the ability to use anyother network topologies or a particular wireless PAN or HAN protocol,standard, application profile, specification, methodology or authoringscheme, power management device 200 may preferably be configured by theProduct App or a service platform to operate as a ZigBee networkcoordinator, router, end device, full function device, reduced functiondevice or participant of a particular ZigBee network. Using a wirelesscommunication link between smartphone 10 or service platform and powermanagement device 200, a user is preferably able to configure, manageand control any ZigBee network capabilities of power management device200 including: joining an existing wireless ZigBee network; coordinatinga wireless ZigBee network; initiating a wireless ZigBee network; orfacilitating other ZigBee products in joining a ZigBee network. By wayof example, power management device 200, through the Product App, may beconfigured by a user to join a ZigBee Smart Energy network coordinatedby a smart meter as a router or end device. Additionally oralternatively, power management device 200, through the Product App, maybe configured by a user to coordinate a ZigBee Home Automation networkfor home automation devices or appliances to join.

Because smart meters communicate across the power network through anadvanced metering infrastructure that involves both personal data anddata relating to the power grid, security of the network remainsparamount. In one preferred embodiment, and without limiting the abilityto use any other application profile, protocol, specification orstandard, power management device 200 is preferably configured toestablish a secure communications link utilizing the trust structuresand authoring methods of ZigBee Smart Energy.

By way of example, a smart meter is usually configured as a ZigBee SmartEnergy coordinator and Trust Centre responsible for generation of thenetwork key and managing the access of nodes to its Smart Energy HANwithin a building, apartment or installation. In that case, powermanagement device 200 may preferably be configured as a ZigBee SmartEnergy node and embedded during manufacture with a link key and a SmartEnergy security certificate. The link key and security certificate arepreferably stored in non-volatile memory in power management device 200.

In one preferred embodiment, where power management device 200 isconfigured with a Smart Energy PAN or HAN it may preferably be assignedan installation code. The installation code preferably includes 12, 16,24, 32 or another suitable number of hex digits followed by a 4-digitchecksum. The leading digits are preferably used to algorithmicallyderive the link key stored in non-volatile memory within powermanagement device.

Power management device 200 preferably has an IEEE/MAC address thatcorresponds to its ZigBee Smart Energy PAN or HAN. The Smart EnergyIEEE/MAC address of power management device 200 is preferably reportedby microcontroller 208 or local network communications 206.

The installation code and/or Smart Energy IEEE/MAC address of powermanagement device 200 may be recorded on the physical unit, or inpaperwork, or an electronic format such as embedded in non-volatilememory of power management device 200 ready for automatic transfer tothe Product App. The installation code and/or Smart Energy IEEE/MAC maybe recorded in a visually readable from, such as QR code or barcode,allowing the Product App to utilize the smartphone camera to scan andautomatically populate the Product App. It can be appreciated that avisually readable code may also contain additional information about thefunctional capability of power management device 200, allowing theProduct App to automatically associate and expose relevant controls forthe functional capabilities during configuration. In one preferredembodiment, instead of, or in addition to a visually readable code,power management device 200 may be configured with proximity beaconing,NFC or other wireless capability allowing for the transfer of theinstallation code and/or Smart Energy IEEE/MAC and any additionalinformation to the Product App using wireless or near fieldcommunications where supported by the smartphone. The installation codeand/or Smart Energy IEEE/MAC may be manually entered into the ProductApp.

In one preferred embodiment, a smart meter may preferably be affixedwith an identification code. The identification code may be recorded onthe physical unit, or in paperwork. The identification code may berecorded in a visually readable from, such as QR code or barcode,allowing the Product App to utilize the smartphone camera to scan andautomatically populate the Product App. It can be appreciated that avisually readable code may also contain additional information about thefunctional capability of a smart meter, allowing the Product App toautomatically associate and expose relevant controls for the functionalcapabilities during configuration. In one preferred embodiment, insteadof, or in addition to a visually readable code, a smart meter may beconfigured with proximity beaconing, NFC or other wireless capabilityallowing for the transfer of the identification code and any additionalinformation to the Product App using wireless or near fieldcommunications where supported by the smartphone. The identificationcode may be manually entered into the Product App.

In order to establish a secure communications link, power managementdevice 200 and a smart meter need to be placed into a secure pairingmode allowing for a multistep exchange of security keys andcertificates.

In one preferred embodiment, after the initial configuration of awireless communications link between smartphone 10 and power managementdevice 200, the Product App is preferably configured to interrogate apower management device 200 configured with a Smart Energy PAN or HANand determine if it has joined a Smart Energy network such as onecoordinated by a smart meter. If not, the Product App preferably exposesthe option to begin pairing power management device 200 with anavailable Smart Energy network. If a user chooses to initiate pairing,the Product App preferably automatically extracts the installation codeand Smart Energy IEEE/MAC address from the non-volatile memory of powermanagement device 200 through a wireless communications link with powermanagement device 200, which may be by way of a peer-to-peer Wi-Fi,network Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, cellular data or LPWA wireless communicationslink. In order to associate power management device 200 with the desiredsmart meter, the Product App is preferably configured to either read, oraccept manual input of, the identification code of the smart meter. Itcan be appreciated that the Product App may automatically extract theinstallation code and Smart Energy IEEE/MAC address from thenon-volatile memory of power management device 200 on first establishinga communications link rather than after the initiation of a pairingprocedure without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

Once the Product App has the installation code and Smart Energy IEEE/MACaddress of power management device 200 and the identification code ofthe smart meter, the Product App preferably opens a communicationschannel with the user's utility or provider responsible for managing thesmart meter's communications hub and requests that the smart meter beconfigured to pair with power management device 200. The Product Apppreferably transfers the installation code, Smart Energy IEEE/MACaddress and identification code to the utility or communications hubmanager as part of this procedure. It can be appreciated that a serviceplatform may be utilized to facilitate communications between theProduct App and utility or communications hub manager without departingfrom the scope of the present disclosure.

In one preferred embodiment, power management device's securitycertificate, or information derived from power management device'ssecurity certificate, may preferably be automatically extracted by theProduct App from power management device 200 and transferred to autility or communications hub manager as part of the pairing requestprocedure.

Upon receipt of the pairing request, a utility or communications hubmanager preferably utilizes the identification code to identify andaddress the target smart meter on the advanced metering infrastructureor smart energy wide area network. Utilizing the installation code, theutility or communications hub manager preferably algorithmically derivesthe pre-configured link key associated with, and stored within, powermanagement device 200. Using the advanced metering infrastructure orsmart energy wide area network to communicate with the target smartmeter, the utility or communications hub manager preferably installspower management device's link key and Smart Energy IEEE/MAC addressinto the smart meter and puts it into pairing mode. The utility orcommunications hub manager may transfer the security certificate, orinformation derived from the security certificate, or a key associatedwith the security certificate, to the smart meter as required.

In one preferred embodiment, the Product App may automatically directmicrocontroller 208 to put a ZigBee Smart Energy PAN or HAN of localnetwork communications 206 into pairing mode after sending a pairingrequest to a utility or communications hub manager. In one preferredembodiment, the Product App may be configured to receive a notificationfrom a utility or communications hub manager that the user should putpower management device 200 into pairing mode for connection to a smartmeter, the Product App preferably exposing a user interface that can beused to cause the Product App to direct microcontroller 208, utilizingany available communications channel between smartphone 10 and powermanagement device 200, to put a ZigBee Smart Energy PAN or HAN of localnetwork communications 206 into pairing mode. In one preferredembodiment, a utility or communications hub manager may directmicrocontroller 208 to put a ZigBee Smart Energy PAN or HAN of localnetwork communications 206 into pairing mode using any availablecommunication pathway with power management device 200.

During pairing, power management device 200 preferably transmits ajoining request to the smart meter on the ZigBee Smart Energy networkcoordinated by the smart meter. The smart meter preferably utilizespower management device's link key, and where necessary Smart EnergyIEEE/MAC address, to provide power management device 200 with a networkkey encrypted using power management device's link key. Power managementdevice 200 preferably utilizes the network key to encrypt a sequence ofcommunications with the smart meter to generate an application link key,the process of which may include an exchange of security certificates.The application link key can then be used to encrypt communicationsbetween power management device 200 and the smart meter, with powermanagement device having then joined the ZigBee Smart Energy network ofthe desired smart meter.

In one preferred embodiment, where power management device 200participates in a ZigBee Smart Energy network coordinated by a smartmeter, power management device 200 is preferably able to communicatewith other devices on the ZigBee Smart Energy network allowing theProduct App to exchange data with devices other than a smart meter. Byway of example, power management device 200 may preferably communicatewith a gas meter configured as node of a smart meter in a dual-fuelmeter arrangement such as under the United Kingdom Department of Energy& Climate Change Smart Metering Equipment Technical Specification.

In one preferred embodiment, in addition to, or instead of using aProduct App, the ZigBee networking of a power management device canpreferably make use of any mechanism available in a chosen ZigBeewireless protocol, standard, application profile or specification forinitiating, joining or coordinating a network. By way of example, ahuman interface such as a switch, button or touch pad on a powermanagement device, and/or an appliance or device in a Zigbee PAN or HANnetwork could be used to initiate a pairing mode for the exchange of anysecurity, trust, or networking credentials required for power managementdevice to join a ZigBee network coordinated by another appliance ordevice, or for other appliances or devices to join a ZigBee networkcoordinated by the power management device, the methods of which wouldbe understood by those of ordinary skill in the art.

It is understood that some ZigBee networks operate without acoordinator. The authoring of a power management device onto acoordinator-less ZigBee network, or to initiate a coordinator-lessZigBee network, may preferably make use of any mechanism available inthe chosen ZigBee wireless protocol, standard, application profile orspecification for joining or initiating a coordinator-less network. Byway of example, a power management device may initiate or be added to aZigBee Light Link network using the ZigBee Touchlink configurationmechanism, the methods of which would be understood by those of ordinaryskill in the art. In one preferred embodiment, a ZigBee Touchlinkconfiguration of power management device 200 may be managed through theProduct App.

In one preferred embodiment, a service platform may be used topreferably configure a power management device 200 to participate in aZigBee Smart Energy network using any available communications pathwayoutlined in FIG. 4. Where desirable, remote configuration of a powermanagement device 200 onto a Smart Energy network may not require userparticipation in the configuration process or interaction with powermanagement device 200 other than to power it on and, where desirable,press a button to commence configuration.

The organic growth of ZigBee over a number of years has resulted in theadoption and development of a number of different ZigBee standards,application profiles, and specifications to meet the needs of particularindustries. By way of example, ZigBee Smart Energy has evolved into aspecific implementation of ZigBee for the utility industry with a levelof complexity and number of security and trust structures notparticularly suited to simple home automation. For that reason, specificimplementations of ZigBee have developed for home automation, such asZigBee Home Automation and ZigBee Light Link. It can therefore beappreciated that it may be highly desirable for a power managementdevice to participate in more than one ZigBee network simultaneously orconcurrently in order to maximize the power management device'scapabilities and interoperability with other automation devices andsmart meters.

In one preferred embodiment, local network communications 206 preferablyincludes any combination and number of integrated circuits, components,controllers, transceivers, radios, memory, microprocessors, and aerialsto provide more than one wireless PAN or HAN, for example, ZigBee,running simultaneously or concurrently, where each of the simultaneousor concurrent ZigBee networks are preferably capable of communicatingusing a different ZigBee standard, application profile, specification,topology or access scheme where desirable. It will be understood bythose of ordinary skill in the art that a ZigBee network can beconfigured with more than one application profile. In one preferredembodiment, local network communications 206 preferably utilizes asingle IEEE 802.15.4 radio configured with multiple applicationprofiles, or a version of ZigBee that amalgamates various ZigBeestandards into a single unified standard such as ZigBee 3.0 or later.Where local network communications 206 utilizes a unified standard ofZigBee, such as ZigBee 3.0 or later, it may preferably include securitymeasures specifically implemented to support ZigBee Smart Energy such asadditional security based on elliptical curve or later cryptography.Suitable ZigBee standards, application profiles, or specifications thatlocal network communications 206 may adopt include: ZigBee HomeAutomation; ZigBee Light Link; ZigBee Smart Energy; ZigBee RF4CE; ZigBeeIP; ZigBee Pro; ZigBee 2.X; ZigBee 3.X; Zigbee Dotdot; IEEE 802.15.4;including derivative, contemporary or proprietary implementations.

In one preferred embodiment, where local network communications 206includes support for ZigBee, and it is desirable for a power managementdevice to participate in two ZigBee networks at the same time, localnetwork communications 206 is preferably configured with a dual-networkcapable SoC, PoP or SiP having a single IEEE 802.15.4 radio configuredto participate in two ZigBee networks by maintaining two sets of networkparameters operated through manual or automatic switching modes. Adual-network capable SoC, PoP or SiP preferably includes synchronizationbetween networks optimized for co-existence. Power management device 200is preferably able to operate as a ZigBee coordinator, router, enddevice or participant on each network depending on the desired topologyof the network. By way of example, power management device 200 could beconfigured to participate in a ZigBee Smart Energy network coordinatedby a smart meter as a router or end device, while at the same timeconfigured to coordinate a ZigBee Home Automation network allowing forthe control of attached home automation devices through instructionsfrom the Product App or a service platform. It can be appreciated thatthis allows the security and integrity of a ZigBee Smart Energy networkcoordinated by a smart meter to be maintained at a high level, whileallowing the Product App or a service platform to control general homeautomation devices on a separate network through the power managementdevice operating as a coordinator of a ZigBee Home Automation network.

In one preferred embodiment, and without limiting any communicationpaths afforded by the mix of wireless and wired communicationstechnologies configured in a power management device, where powermanagement device 200 is configured with dual-network ZigBeecommunications, local network communications 206 or systemmicrocontroller 208 can preferably transpose, route or otherwisefacilitate the migration of control, command, configuration and otherdata between ZigBee networks. In that way, and by way of example only, ademand response signal or tariff variation from a smart meter propagatedonto a ZigBee Smart Energy network in which power management device 200is a participant, could be propagated by power management device 200onto a ZigBee Home Automation network in which power management device200 is also a participant, allowing other home automation devices toreceive and respond to the demand response signal or tariff variationeven though they may not be part of the Smart Energy network. By way ofanother example, power management device 200 could receive a demandresponse signal or tariff variation on a ZigBee Smart Energy network andissue a command to a home automation device or devices on a ZigBee HomeAutomation network causing a desired response.

In one preferred embodiment, where power management device 200 isconfigured with dual-network ZigBee communications, each ZigBee PAN maypreferably be isolated from the other and not allow data to routeinternally between the ZigBee PANs within power management device 200.In that way, and by way of example only, power management device 200participating in a ZigBee Home Automation network and a ZigBee SmartEnergy network, may preferably not internally route, transpose ormigrate data (such as a demand response signal) from the Smart Energynetwork onto the ZigBee Home Automation network. By way of anotherexample, power management device 200 participating in a ZigBee SmartEnergy network and a ZigBee Home Automation network may preferably notinternally route, transpose or migrate data generated by a homeautomation device onto the ZigBee Smart Energy network such as deviceidentifiers, status, and state data. Through this mechanism, powermanagement device 200 may be configured to operate discretely as twoseparate PANs, allowing users to build and maintain a two localcommunication networks independently and not having the security ortrust measures of one PAN affecting the other. While it may bepreferable in some embodiments not to route data between ZigBee PANsinternally within power management device 200, this should not be takento limit the possibility of data being received by power managementdevice 200 on one ZigBee network, sending that data to a serviceplatform, receiving data back from the service platform and routing,transposing or migrating that data onto the other ZigBee network wheredesirable.

In one preferred embodiment, power management device 200 may beconfigured as an end device or reduced function device without routercapabilities on a ZigBee Smart Energy network.

It can be appreciated that a dual-network ZigBee architecture may beenabled in a power management device by means other than a single IEEE802.15.4 radio, dual-network capable SoC, PoP or SiP without departingfrom the scope of the present disclosure. In one preferred embodiment, adual-network ZigBee communications architecture may preferably beconfigured using two single radio SiPs, PoPs or SoCs, each configured toindividually run a different ZigBee network under the control of amaster microcontroller, such as system microcontroller 208. In anotherpreferred embodiment, a dual-network ZigBee communications architecturemay preferably be configured using a microcontroller configured tooperate two separate radios through a communication interface. Inanother preferred embodiment, a dual-network ZigBee communicationsarchitecture may preferably be configured using a SiP, PoP or SoC andsingle IEEE 802.15.4 radio with a microcontroller configured to operatetwo networks simultaneously or concurrently in software. It will beappreciated that these are merely examples and not intended to limit theimplementation of a dual-network ZigBee architecture in power managementdevice 200, which may utilize any suitable means and technologiesavailable.

In one preferred embodiment, local network communications 206 could beconfigured with the necessary circuitry to enable a Thread and/or Z-Wavenetwork in conjunction with dual-network ZigBee communications, or localnetwork communications 206 could be configured with a Thread and/orZ-Wave network in conjunction with a single ZigBee network.

The ZigBee standards and specifications define a comprehensive securityarchitecture and trust management model, which includes encryption,authentication and integrity at each layer of the ZigBee protocol stack,any element of which may preferably be utilized for ZigBeecommunications between a power management device and appliances ordevices within a PAN or HAN network.

Where desirable, local network communications 206 may be configured toallow two or more power management devices 200 to communicate with eachother through a PAN or HAN network.

Where desirable, a power management device 200 may be configured withpower line communications instead of, or in addition to, local networkcommunications 206.

It can be appreciated that personal controllers such as smartphones maybe configured with additional PAN or HAN technologies and become capableof directly participating in PAN or HAN networks without requiring anintermediary or gateway. By way of example, a smartphone may beconfigured with the necessary components to communicate directly on aZigbee or Thread network. Where a personal controller is so configured,power management device 200 and the personal controller can preferablycommunicate with each other utilizing a PAN or HAN wirelesscommunications link.

Referring back to FIG. 2, cellular communications 210 preferablyincludes the necessary hardware, circuitry and SIM to support wirelesstelecommunication via a cellular or mobile broadband modem and isconfigured to support one or more wireless communication technology,protocol, standard or specification, such as International MobileTelecommunications-2000 (IMT-2000), General Packet Radio Service (GPRS),Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), CDMA2000, Global System forMobiles (GSM), Time Division-Code Division Multiple Access (TD-CDMA),Time Division-Synchronous Code Division Multiple Access (TD-SCDMA),Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE), Evolved EDGE, High-SpeedPacket Access (HSPA), Evolved High-Speed Packet Access (HSPA+), WidebandCode Division Multiple Access (WCDMA), Universal MobileTelecommunications System (UMTS), High Capacity Spatial DivisionMultiple Access (HC-SDMA), High Performance Radio Metropolitan AreaNetwork (hiperMAN), Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access(WiMAX), WiMAX-Advanced, Long-Term Evolution (LTE), LTE-M, LTE-Cat M1,LTE-Cat M1, NB-IoT, LTE-Advanced, TD-LTE LTE-MTC (Long-TermEvolution-Machine Type Communication), NB-IOT, IMT-Advanced, 5thgeneration mobile networks or 5th generation wireless systems (5G).

In one preferred embodiment cellular communications 210 is preferablyconfigured with an embedded SIM such as an embedded Universal IntegratedCircuit Card (eUICC) or equivalent soldered onto the motherboard ofpower management device 200. In one preferred embodiment, the abilityfor a Mobile Network Operator (MNO) to provide a removable SIMpre-configured with a communications profile, such a Mobile SubscriberISDN and International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) that can bephysically inserted into power management device 200 is expresslyexcluded.

Where a power management device 200 is configured with cellularcommunications 210 it may preferably be configured with adaptablecommunications 202 providing a wireless communications link betweensmartphone 10 and power management device 200 that can be used by theProduct App to provision power management device 200 or cellularcommunications 210 onto a cellular network. Cellular communications 210preferably includes the capability to provision over the air and,without limiting the ability to utilize other appropriate specificationsor standards, may adopt the GSMA Embedded SIM Specification or EmbeddedSIM Remote Provisioning Architecture, including their contemporaries, oran equivalent published by the European Telecommunications StandardsInstitute (ETSI), including any amendments, extensions or proprietaryimplementations.

When power is first applied to power management device 200, cellularcommunications 210 preferably operates in a dormant or standby state.This allows a power management device 200 to be manufactured anddistributed with cellular communication capabilities, but allows a userto decide whether or not to enable those cellular communicationcapabilities. Where a cellular connection is desirable, a user throughthe Product App in communication with system microcontroller 208preferably directs cellular communications 210 to initialize and assumean active state. In one preferred embodiment a human interface on powermanagement device 200 may be used to activate cellular communications210 from a dormant or standby state.

It can be appreciated that the ability to communicate with a powermanagement device 200 via cellular communications may require a servicearrangement, contract or subscription with an MNO providing the cellularor mobile broadband data infrastructure. In one preferred embodiment auser through the Product App may preferably activate, accept or enterinto a service contract or subscription with an MNO for a new powermanagement device 200, or may add a new power management device 200 toan existing service contract or subscription. The Product App mayutilize a service platform in offering or executing a service contractor subscription with an MNO.

Where a power management device 200 is configured with an embedded SIM,it is preferably configured with a means to identify it as a uniqueproduct, such as an identification code or codes that implicitly orexplicitly identify power management device 200 or the embedded SIM ofcellular communications 210 so that an MNO can associate a powermanagement device 200 with a service contract or subscription. Suchidentification could be by way of an Integrated Circuit Card ID (ICCID),IMSI, Mobile Station International Subscriber Directory Number (MSISDN),Network Access Application, Universal Subscriber Identity Module (USIM),Integrated Circuit Card Identifier (ICCID), eUICC-ID, personalizationdata, provisioning profile data and/or operational profile data. Anidentification code may be recorded on the physical unit of a powermanagement device 200, or in paperwork, or an electronic format such asembedded in non-volatile memory of power management device 200 andaccessible to the Product App. An identification code may be recorded ina visually readable from, such as QR code or barcode, allowing theProduct App to utilize the smartphone camera to scan and automaticallypopulate the Product App. It can be appreciated that a visually readablecode may also contain additional information about the functionalcapability of power management device 200, allowing the Product App toautomatically associate and expose relevant controls for the functionalcapabilities during configuration or enable/load a particularprovisioning or operational profile. In one preferred embodiment,instead of, or in addition to a visually readable code, power managementdevice 200 may be configured with a proximity beacon, NFC or otherwireless capability allowing for the transfer of an identification codeto the Product App using wireless or near field communications wheresupported by the smartphone. An identification code may be manuallyentered into the Product App. Where desirable, an identification code orcodes may preferably be transferred from the Product App to an MNO orsubscription manager during a request to provision a power managementdevice 200 onto a cellular or mobile broadband network.

In one preferred embodiment, a power management device 200 may beconfigured for use on the network of a particular MNO with the embeddedSIM of cellular communications 210 preferably configured with aprovisioning profile or operational profile for that specific MNO. TheProduct App preferably allows a user to command cellular communications210 to commence provisioning, cellular communications 210 utilizing theprovisioning profile or operational profile to connect to the specifiedMNO network and preferably download, install and/or enable theoperational profile for that MNO, which may include updating the eUICCinformation set. In one preferred embodiment, a human interface on powermanagement device 200 may be used to command cellular communications 210to commence provisioning.

In one preferred embodiment, a power management device 200 may beconfigured as generic product with the embedded SIM of cellularcommunications 210 preferably configured with a provisioning profile. Itcan be appreciated that more than one MNO could provide cellular ormobile broadband data infrastructure in a particular region. The ProductApp preferably allows a user to choose a target MNO and command cellularcommunications 210 to commence provisioning. In one preferredembodiment, the Product App may be configured to automatically selectthe target MNO based on the outcome of entering into a service contractor subscription with an MNO or third party provider through the ProductApp. In one preferred embodiment, the Product App may be directed by aservice platform to automatically select a target MNO. The Product Appis preferably configured to only expose options for MNOs in theimmediate location and may utilize any global positioning technologiesavailable in smartphone 10 to determine an accurate location. In onepreferred embodiment the Product App may utilize the cellular servicesof smartphone 10 to scan for and present available MNOs to a user. Inone preferred embodiment the Product App in communication with powermanagement device 200 may preferably command cellular communications 210to perform a scan and report available MNOs to the Product App forpresentation to a user.

In order to provision an embedded SIM of cellular communications 210over the air onto the network of a target MNO, cellular communications210 is preferably configured to utilize a cellular or mobile broadbanddata connection of a provisioning MNO in order to download, install andenable an operational profile for the target MNO which may, or may not,be the MNO providing the provisioning cellular or mobile broadband dataconnection.

Where the target MNO is the provisioning MNO, cellular communications210 preferably utilizes a provisioning profile to connect to theprovisioning MNO network and downloads, installs and enables anoperational profile for the provisioning MNO, which may include updatingthe eUICC information set.

Where the target MNO is not the provisioning MNO, the Product Apppreferably instructs the provisioning MNO of the target MNO by utilizingan available communications channel of smartphone 10, such as a networkWi-Fi or cellular data connection. Where necessary, communication to aprovisioning MNO may utilize a service platform. Cellular communications210 preferably utilizes a provisioning profile to connect to aprovisioning MNO network, the provisioning MNO preferably issuing aswitch instruction to a subscription manager outlining the migration ofa power management device from the provisioning MNO network to thespecified target MNO network, the subscription manager preferablyfacilitating the download and installation of an operational profile forthe target MNO into the embedded SIM of cellular communications 210 andcommanding the embedded SIM to enable the operational profile of thetarget MNO which preferably includes disabling any other profiles in theembedded SIM. Cellular communications 210 preferably utilizes the newoperating profile of the target MNO to then connect to the cellular ormobile broadband data network of the target MNO. It can be appreciatedthat the same steps could be executed by preferably utilizing anoperational profile of a provisioning MNO instead of a provisioningprofile. In one preferred embodiment, the Product App preferablyinstructs a subscription manager as well as, or instead of, theprovisioning MNO of a switch to a target MNO. In that case theprovisioning MNO may not need to issue a switching instruction to thesubscription manager where a message from the Product App can fulfil therole of a switching instruction to the subscription manager. In onepreferred embodiment, the Product App may advise a target MNO of thedesire to provision a power management device onto the network of thetarget MNO, the target MNO preferably issuing a switching instruction toa subscription manager or instructing the provisioning MNO to issue aswitching instruction to a subscription manager rather than the ProductApp instructing the provisioning MNO.

In one preferred embodiment, cellular communications 210 may beconfigured with more than one provisioning or operational profiles.Where cellular communications 210 is configured with more than oneprovisioning profile, a user through the Product App may preferablychoose which provisioning profile cellular communications 210 should usein provisioning power management device 200.

It can be appreciated that a provisioning subscription or servicecontract with a provisioning MNO may be required in order to utilize acellular or mobile broadband data connection of the provisioning MNO andthat a number of different parties could enter into a service contractor provisioning subscription without departing from the scope of thepresent disclosure. By way of example, a manufacturer or distributor ofpower management device 200 may preferably contract or enter into aprovisioning subscription with a provisioning MNO. By way of anotherexample, a company offering or utilizing power management devices maypreferably contract or enter into a provisioning subscription with aprovisioning MNO.

A user may wish to move a power management device from a current MNO toan alternate MNO. Where desirable, the Product App may be used topreferably initiate the process of migrating a power management device200 from one MNO to another. In one preferred embodiment, a userpreferably enters into a service contract or subscription with analternate MNO and through the Product App instructs the alternate MNO tomigrate a power management device 200 onto their cellular or mobilebroadband network. The alternate MNO preferably initiates theprovisioning of power management device 200 onto their cellular ormobile broadband data network over the air by issuing a switchinginstruction to a subscription manager or instructing the current MNO toissue a switching instruction to a subscription manager. Where theembedded SIM of cellular communications 210 does not contain anoperational profile for the alternate MNO, the current MNO cellular ormobile broadband data network preferably allows the operational profilefor the alternate MNO to be downloaded and enabled, disabling thecurrent MNO operational profile and where desirable deleting it andremoving its container from the embedded SIM. Where the embedded SIM ofcellular communications 210 contains a disabled operational profile forthe alternate MNO, the current MNO cellular or mobile broadband datanetwork preferably allows a subscription manager to enable theoperational profile for the alternate MNO and disable the current MNOoperational profile and where desirable delete it and remove itscontainer from the embedded SIM.

In one preferred embodiment power management device 200 is preferablyconfigured to accept a removable SIM pre-configured for use on thenetwork of one or more MNOs. It can be appreciated that where powermanagement device 200 is configured to accept a removable SIM, it may bepreferable to configure power management device 200 with adaptablecommunications 202 providing a wireless communications link betweensmartphone 10 and power management device 200 that can be used by theProduct App to provision cellular communications 210 onto a desiredcellular network.

In one preferred embodiment, power management device 200 may beconfigured with cellular communications 210 and not adaptablecommunications 202. Where so configured, cellular communications 210 mayautomatically initialize on power up or through the use of a humaninterface on power management device 200 and connect to a MNO networksupported by a removable or embedded SIM. The Product App, using anyavailable communications pathways enabled by smartphone 10, maypreferably allow a user to contact the MNO of a pre-configured SIM or aprovisioning MNO that it has commenced provisioning of power managementdevice 200 and may pass to the MNO a unique product identifier thatimplicitly or explicitly identifies power management device 200 or theSIM or embedded SIM of cellular communications 210 so that the MNO canassociate a power management device 200 with an appropriate servicecontract or subscription and thereby enable communications throughcellular communications 210. In that way the Product App could be usedto commission a power management device 200 onto a cellular networkwithout using a peer-to-peer communications link between powermanagement device 200 and smartphone 10.

It can be appreciated that the provisioning of a power management device200 onto a cellular or mobile broadband data network can be modified ina number of ways without departing from the scope of the presentdisclosure. Certain steps can be deleted, added, combined, or sequencedas required. In one preferred embodiment, the Product App may beconfigured to download, install and/or enable an operational profileinto the embedded SIM of cellular communications 210. In one preferredembodiment, the Product App may communicate with a power managementdevice 200 through a wireless connection enabled by adaptablecommunications 202, and communicate to any other system elements, suchas a service platform or MNO, through a communications channel enabledby cellular communications 210. In that way, power management device 200could act as a conduit for Product App communications rather thanutilizing the cellular or data capabilities of smartphone 10.

Referring back to FIG. 2, in one preferred embodiment, instead of, or inaddition to, a cellular or mobile broadband modem, cellularcommunications 210 may preferably be configured with any combination andnumber of integrated circuits, components, controllers, transceivers,radios, aerials, memory, microprocessors, SiPs, PoPs, or SoCs to supportsingle or bi-directional low power, wide area (LPWA) wirelesscommunications. Where desirable, cellular communications 210 may beconfigured for compatibility with one or more technologies, protocols,standards or specifications from Amber Wireless, Coronis, Greenwaves,Haystack Technologies, Link Labs, Actility, Telensa, Huawei, LoRa, M2MSpectrum Networks, NWave, On-Ramp Wireless, Senaptic, Sigfox, Neul,Weightless, WAVIoT, Ingenu RPMA, Orange POPS or other suitable solutionsincluding additional proprietary solutions based on 802.15.4technologies.

It can be appreciated that LPWA wireless communications involves a LPWAnetwork operator (LPWANO) or infrastructure provider in a similar waythat a MNO provides the cellular or mobile broadband networkinfrastructure. In one preferred embodiment, a wireless communicationslink provided by adaptable communications 202 can preferably be utilizedby the Product App to provision a power management device 200 onto aLPWA wireless network of a particular LPWANO. Where desirable, theProduct App may preferably transfer to an LPWANO a unique productidentifier, such as an identification code or codes that can implicitlyor explicitly be utilized to identify and commission a power managementdevice on a LPWA wireless network. It can be appreciated that a LPWANOcould utilize a unique product identifier to associate a powermanagement device with a service contract or subscription in allowing apower management device to access or utilize a LPWA network. Wheredesirable, the Product App may use the same, or similar, mechanisms forestablishing a service contract or subscription with a LPWANO as alreadyoutlined in relation to a MNO. The provisioning of a power managementdevice 200 may utilize a service platform where required. In onepreferred embodiment, LPWA wireless communications is preferablyconfigured to operate in a narrow band, or ultra narrow band, sub-1 GHzfrequency. Where cellular communications 210 is configured with LPWAwireless communications operating in a frequency band or bands below 1GHz, aerial 210 a is preferably configured to support the desiredfrequency band or bands.

In one preferred embodiment, cellular communications 210 is preferablyconfigured with a fully integrated single-chip radio transceiverdesigned to operate across a number of ISM (Industrial, Scientific andMedical), SRD (Short Range Device) and licensed frequency bands. In onepreferred embodiment the Product App through adaptable communications202 preferably allows for the configuration of cellular communications210 according to the frequency and communications requirements of achosen protocol, standard or specification of an LPWA network and mayenable a protocol, standard or specification already loaded into thememory of a power management device 200, or download to the memory of apower management device 200 a desired protocol, standard, specificationor configuration profile. Where desirable, the Product App throughadaptable communications 202, or any other available communicationpathway including cellular communications 210, may preferably allow forthe configuration of cellular communications 210 according to anysecurity requirements including the transfer and/or enablement of anytrust structures, keys, tokens, authentication, certificates, encryptionor other security requirements required for cellular communications toaccess, connect and communicate on a chosen LPWA network. In that way, apower management device 200 may be manufactured with configurable LPWAwireless communications and provisioned in field according to thefrequency, network and communications requirements of an LPWANO. In onepreferred embodiment, power management device 200 may be manufacturedwith LPWA wireless communications pre-provisioned and personalized towork on a given network.

Where desirable, adaptable communications 202 can preferably be put intoa low power sleep state or dormant state after a power management device200 has been provisioned onto a cellular or mobile broadband datanetwork or an LPWA wireless network in order to conserve power. In somepreferred embodiments, a power management device 200 may be configuredto preferably utilize a wireless communications link through adaptablecommunications 202 or local network communications 206 as a primarycommunications channel and to utilize a communications link throughcellular communications 210 as a fallback when communications cannot beestablished through a primary channel. In some preferred embodiments, apower management device may be configured to preferably utilize awireless communications link through cellular communications 210 as aprimary communications channel and to utilize a communications linkthrough adaptable communications 202 or local network communications 206as a fallback.

Referring back to FIG. 2, power measurement module 212 is preferablyconfigured to report a broad range of data to system microcontroller208. This may include any combination of parameters, metrics,conditions, specifications and time associated with electricity beingsupplied to an electrical circuit and electricity being used on anelectrical circuit or by an electrical device, such as, but not limitedto: instantaneous voltage, current and power; active, reactive andapparent power; average real power; RMS voltage and current; powerfactor; line frequency; overcurrent; voltage sag; voltage swell; phaseangle; temperature and/or any other data or metric that may be measured,recorded or stored by power measurement module 212. These metrics may berecorded to memory and utilized by system microcontroller 208 todetermine electricity used over a defined time period; operationalcharacteristics including any deviation from a specification, limit orbase measurement; temperature; service requirements; analysis and/or anyother metric or logical sequencing that could be compiled from themeasured, recorded or stored data from power measurement module 212.

Any data measured, recorded, stored, calculated, analysed, generated,manipulated, compressed, downloaded, received, used, entered or compliedin a power management device 200 can preferably be exchanged with aservice platform or the Product App through any available wirelesscommunications, such as wireless communication supported by adaptablecommunications 202 or cellular communications 210. Once the appropriatedata has been transferred to the Product App or a service platform, theProduct App or service platform can preferably perform any desirableanalysis, calculations, visualizations or conversions and wherenecessary display the results on the smartphone's touch sensitive screenor service platform user interface for the user to view.

The inclusion of power measurement allows more advanced functionalityother than metering to be offered by a power management device 200. Inone preferred embodiment, system microcontroller 208 may continuouslymeasure various electrical parameters through power measurement 212allowing system microcontroller 208 to detect possible error conditionsor a variation from a threshold or limit set by a manufacturer or userin order to cause a power control circuit, such as relay 216 or relay218, to reduce or cut power to an electrical device or appliance inprotecting both the power management device 200 and the electricaldevice or appliance. In another preferred embodiment, systemmicrocontroller 208 through power measurement 212 may take a measurementunder operational load to establish a normal operating threshold for adevice or appliance. System microcontroller 208 could be configured bythe Product App or service platform to periodically or continuouslymonitor power measurement 212 and cause a power control circuit toterminate power on detection of a deviation from a specified thresholdor measured operating threshold. System microcontroller 208 couldperiodically or continuously monitor power measurement 212 and alsoreport to the Product App or a service platform any variation ordeviation from a specified threshold or measured operating threshold. Byway of example, this could be used to measure the operating load of agroup of lights connected to a power management device 200 and allow auser through the Product App or a service platform to determine if anylights had blown based on the change in power being consumed rather thanhaving to inspect each luminaire. By way of another example, an initialoperational load measurement could be taken for an appliance or deviceat the time of installation or could be set based on a manufacturer'sspecification, any variance from the original operational load creatinga power signature that could be comparatively analysed and used indetermining if the variation signalled a potential deterioratingcondition requiring maintenance or service before becoming a potentialfailure. In that way power measurement 212 could be configured tomeasure and report within a broader predictive analysis framework thatmay utilize a service platform to compare or analyse variations in apower signature over time. It can be appreciated that this would behighly advantageous for monitoring various electric motors, appliancesand devices.

In one preferred embodiment, power management device 200 may beconfigured to report to the Product App or a service platform atermination in power to a device or appliance in response to an errorcondition or crossing of an operational threshold. In one preferredembodiment, a power management device 200 may be configured to resupplypower after a period of time to a device or appliance where power wasterminated in response to an error condition or crossing of anoperational threshold. Where the error condition or crossing of anoperational threshold persists, the power management device 200 maypreferably terminate power to the device or appliance and lock theability to resupply power until a command to do so is received from theProduct App, service platform or human interface.

In one preferred embodiment, power management device 200 is preferablyconfigured with power control circuits that may include any suitablepower switching technologies such as a semiconductor switch/relay, orelectro-mechanical switch/relay configured to vary the supply of powerto an electrical device or appliance in a simple on/off fashion. Inanother preferred embodiment, power control circuits may include anynumber and mix of switches and relays, such as relay 216 and relay 218,configured to vary the supply of power to different devices separately,or grouped, in a simple on/off fashion, or configured to vary power toan appliance or device utilizing a method to reduce radiatedinterference that will be outlined in more detail below. In anotherpreferred embodiment, power control circuits may include any number andmix of semiconductor switches, mixers, relays, or electro-mechanicalswitches and relays configured to vary the supply of power to more thanone appliance, device or individual component, including individualcomponents in a lighting element, or to various lighting elements. Inanother preferred embodiment, power control circuits may include adimming control or controls. A dimming control is used to vary theamount of power transferred to a lighting element, or a component of alighting element, where it has the appropriate characteristics to allowthe light output to be varied anywhere from fully on to fully off orsome intermediate range of light output, as directed by systemmicrocontroller 208. Using dimming in power control circuits under thecontrol of system microcontroller 208, the amount of electrical powertransferred to a lighting element can be regulated. Because theelectrical load presented to the dimming control can be resistive,inductive or capacitive depending on the light type and arrangement, thedimming control can provide leading edge, trailing edge, pulse widthmodulation or other suitable methods of variable power control. In onepreferred embodiment, the Product App preferably allows the dimmingcontrol in a power management device 200 to be configured according tothe electrical requirements of a particular lighting element. In onepreferred embodiment, a power management device 200 may be configured asa programmable logic controller with any number of switching and powercontrol elements. Where power management device 200 is configured with apower control circuit or circuits, system microcontroller may preferablyrecord the number of switching operations a power control circuit orcircuits has executed. A power management device 200 may be configuredwith a power control circuit or circuits, configured for single phase orthree phase switching according to the requirements of a desired load.

In one preferred embodiment, power control circuits may be configured asa single or three phase variable-frequency drive, adjustable-frequencydrive, variable-speed drive, AC drive, micro drive or inverter driveused to control external electrical motor speed and torque by varyingmotor input frequency and voltage, the topologies and methods of whichare familiar to those of ordinary skill in the art and for simplicityare not described herein. Where power control circuits are configured asa variable-frequency drive, smartphone 10 and/or service platform 500may preferably be used to program or control the operation of anattached load, including one or more of starting, stopping, reversing orvarying the operating speed. Where desirable, a power management device200 configured with a variable-frequency drive may be programmedaccording to the specific capabilities and application of an attachedload, which may include, for example, configuration of single-quadrantload, two-quadrant load or four-quadrant load drive applications. In onepreferred embodiment, operation of a variable-frequency drive may bemanaged by a dedicated microcontroller rather than systemmicrocontroller 208. It can be appreciated that power measurement 212can be utilized in performing or monitoring any variable-frequency driveoperations.

Power management device 200 can be configured for domestic, consumer orindustrial/commercial applications. Consumer applications typicallyinvolve the switching of low power loads that have low duty cycles.Industrial and commercial applications typically involve the switchingof high power loads which invariably have high inrush currents withleading or lagging power factors. They can have high duty cycles andneed to deliver a high Mean Timer to Failure (MTTF).

In one preferred embodiment, power management device 200 is preferablyconfigured with power control circuits using a semiconductor switch(SCR, Triac, etc.) for low power loads. A semiconductor switch is anelectronic device and does not generate Electromagnetic Interference(EMI) or Radio Frequency Interference (RFI) at a sufficient level toaffect other systems within power management device 200. Somesemiconductor switches are unsuitable for high power switching becauseof high power losses, thermal runaway and open circuit power leakagefrom snubber circuits.

In one preferred embodiment, power management device 200 is preferablyconfigured with power control circuits using an electro-mechanical relayor contactor relay for high power loads. Relays have metal to metalcontacts which are opened or closed to control power to a load.Electrical power is delivered to a load when the relay contacts areclosed forming an electrical circuit. When AC electrical power isdelivered to a load, the voltage and current are most commonlysinusoidal having a positive peak value, a zero value and a negativepeak value over time. For 50 Hz mains power, the period of one completecycle is 20 ms, and for 60 Hz systems it is 16.67 ms. If a relay contactis closed when the voltage wave form is at its peak value, maximumcurrent will flow to the load. If a relay contact is closed when thevoltage waveform is at its zero value, zero current will flow to theload. An electro-mechanical relay or contactor relay being a mechanicaldevice, can generate significant EMI/RFI when its contacts open, closeor bounce, especially when high power is being controlled. EMI/RFI canbe generated when a relay closes while the voltage waveform is at a highvalue and the contacts bounce due to their closing inertia causingsparking. EMI/RFI can also be generated if a relay contact is openedwhen the current waveform is at a high value, causing arcing as thecontacts separate to break the current flow. If a relay contact isopened when the current waveform is at a zero value, no current isflowing, so arching will not occur and no EMI/RIF will be generated.

Relays are specified to switch power at a maximum level for a ratedlife, which may be tens of thousands of operations. Relays are notspecified for the amount of EMI/RFI they generate when switching. Whenrelays are switched asynchronously to the mains power voltage waveform,the amount of EMI/RFI generated by any one switching action is unknown.The power management device's microcontroller 208 and wirelesscommunications systems are susceptible to interference from EMI/RFI, butneed to coexist in close proximity to relays capable of generatingEMI/RFI. Given that power management device 200 can be configured tocontrol large power loads, it is desirable to prevent randomly generatedEMI/RFI from switching circuits.

A relay contact is typically closed when a control circuit, such asrelay drivers 214, energizes a relay's coil, creating a magnetic fieldthat causes a movable contact to close onto a fixed contact whichcompletes an electrical circuit allowing current to flow to the load.The relay contact is kept closed while the coil remains energized. Arelay contact opens when the control circuit stops energizing therelay's coil, causing the magnetic field to collapse and allowing thespring tension of the moveable contact to open the moveable contact fromthe fixed contact, thereby stopping current flowing to the load. As therelay is a mechanical device, there is a delay from the time the controlcircuit energizes the relay coil to when the contacts close (operatetime) and a delay from the time the control circuit de-energizes therelay coil to when the contacts open (release time). Each relay type hasmanufacturer specified operate and release times, however they arenominated as maximum values and the actual performance can be randomlysignificantly shorter. For most power relays that are designed tooperate in equipment and applications of 110V/20 A and 250V/16 A, theoperate and release times can be similar to a half cycle period of theAC mains power signal. It is therefore difficult to use the relaymanufacturer's maximum specification to accurately control the timing inclosing and opening a relay relative to the AC mains power signal.

In addition to the manufacturer specified operate and release times, therelay contacts have a bounce time where the kinetic energy stored in themoving contact is dissipated against the fixed contact. This actioncauses the contacts to open and close for a short period of time makingan intermittent circuit to the load until they become fully closed andstable. Contact bounce time is normally not specified by a manufacturerand is part of the operate time specification.

In order to minimise EMI/RFI generation from a relay, it is necessary tooperate the relay synchronously with the voltage and current beingapplied to a load. If the contacts bounce when the peak current isflowing, maximum EMI/RFI will be generated by the resultant arcing.Minimum EMI/RFI on contact closure is achieved when the voltage zerocrossing time coincides with the time the relay contacts are halfwaythrough the contact bounce time period. At this time there is only avery small voltage applied to the load during the bounce time, so only avery small current will flow and contact arcing will be small toeffectively zero depending on the load current requirements. Forexample, a 1 A peak operating current has much less current flowingduring the bounce time than a 10 A peak operating current.

Minimum EMI/RFI on a contact opening is achieved when the current zerocrossing time in the negative direction is just prior to the relaycontact starting to open to ensure there is minimal to zero currentflowing at the time the contacts are opening.

Accordingly, it can be seen that if the relay operate, release andbounce times are of a similar magnitude to the AC mains power half cycleperiod, accurate relay operating characteristics are required if therelay is to be opened or closed in a way that minimizes EMI/RFI. Itshould be noted that the measurement of the current zero crossing time,while more complex than for the voltage, is desired because the load maybe resistive, inductive or capacitive which will determine the timerelationship between the voltage and the current waveforms. Relying onjust the voltage zero crossing time can cause significant timing errorsif the load is not resistive or the power factor is not known, which ina general purpose case is unlikely. It should be noted that the voltagewaveform is the reference timing and the current waveform is related tothe voltage waveform by the power factor as would be understood by thoseskilled in the art.

In one preferred embodiment, system microcontroller 208 is preferablyconfigured to control a relay switch operation based on actual operate,release and bounce times synchronised with the voltage and current zerocrossing time as appropriate to reduce EMI/RFI emissions.

To ensure accurate control of the relay relative to a load's voltage andcurrent waveforms, it is desirable to know: the relay actual operate andrelease times; the mains voltage zero crossing time; the load currentzero crossing time; and the relay contact bounce time or closure. Onemethod in determining a relay's parameters are to measure the operatingcharacteristics of a statistical relevant sample of a particular relayand then batch test relays during manufacture of a power managementdevice to ensure the determined operating characteristics are being met.Given that this method has an inbuilt operating characteristicvariation, each relay incorporated into a power management device 200will have a different EMI/RFI profile that, while better than if noscreening or testing, could still impact on the performance of EMI/RFIsensitive components and systems within power management device 200.

In one preferred embodiment, a manufacturing test procedure preferablytests the characteristics of a particular relay, or relays, incorporatedinto a power management device 200 in situ. Power management device 200is preferably connected to a manufacturing testing platform, the testplatform preferably causing system microcontroller 208 to open and closeany relays so that each relay's operate, release and bounce times can beautomatically measured. At the conclusion of the testing procedure, themanufacturing test platform preferably transfers into the non-volatilememory of power management device 200 the actual operate and releasetimes for each particular relay, allowing system microprocessor 208 toswitch a particular relay or relays in accordance with actual relayvalues as detailed below.

Power management device 200 preferably includes circuits designed toprovide low level signals to system microcontroller 208, allowing thevoltage and current zero crossing times to be determined, or provide aninterrupt to system microcontroller 208 at the zero crossing times, orother appropriate methods of determining the zero crossing times. In onepreferred embodiment, power measurement 212 preferably measures andreports to system microcontroller 208 the power factor and the voltageand current zero crossing times.

When a relay is to be opened or closed, system microcontroller 208preferably determines when the mains voltage is at its zero crossingtime. In order to minimize EMI/RFI, system microcontroller 208preferably mathematically calculates when the next zero crossing timewill occur and the time at which a relay needs to be energized orde-energized knowing the relay's actual operate, release and bouncetimes stored in memory so that: when closing, the voltage zero crossingtime coincides halfway through the relay contact's bounce period; whenopening, the positive to negative current zero crossing time is prior tothe start of the relay contact's release time.

It should be noted that the accurate timing of a relay is not applicableto a common change-over or double-throw form of relay where two contactsare used to provide power independently to separate loads. By way ofexample, a change-over relay may be configured so that both the normallyopen (NO) and normally closed (NC) contacts are used to provide powerindependently to separate loads, such as for example, load 1 and load 2.For a change over relay in the OFF state, the NC contacts are closed andpower is provided to load 1, with the NO contacts open and no powergoing to load 2. When the relay is activated, the single movable contactchanges from connecting to the NC fixed contact to connecting to the NOfixed contact. In the ON state the NC contacts are open and no power isprovided to load 1, with the NO contacts closed and power going to load2. It can be appreciated that there is a fixed time relationship betweenthe NC or NO contact opening and the correlative NC or NO contactclosing, so that it is not possible to guarantee both the voltage zerocrossing time coinciding halfway through the relay contact's bounceperiod for the closing and the positive to negative current zerocrossing time coinciding with the start of the relay contact's releasetime for the opening. In cases where a change-over or double-throw relayis desirable or required, it can preferably be simulated with two NOcontact relays, or a NO contact relay and an NC contact relay, such asrelay 216 and relay 218. In this exemplary configuration, each relay canpreferably be controlled by system microcontroller 208 independently ofthe other and the time methodology requirements for minimizing EMI/RFIgeneration can be met.

If a user manually controls a relay, for example by closing a switch,the operation is being executed asynchronously to the AC mains voltageand current applied to a load. In one preferred embodiment, before arelay switching event is initiated by a power management device 200,system microcontroller 208 preferably monitors the voltage (on event) orcurrent (off event) to synchronise the relay switching with the mainspower zero crossing time.

Referring now to FIG. 6 and FIG. 7, an exemplary zero voltage switchingand zero current switching methodology is outlined below in accordancewith one preferred embodiment of the present disclosure. For thefollowing calculations, Reference Zero Crossing (t_(RZC)) is the timingreference point when a controlling signal, whether voltage or current,is at its zero value. For a 50 Hz mains power system the zero pointoccurs every 10 ms. For a 60 Hz mains power system the zero point occursevery 8.335 ms. Open Time (t_(OT)) is the time it takes for a relaycontact to open enough, from the time the relay coil drive is removed todisconnect the power fully from the load. Close Time (t_(CT)) is thetime it takes for a relay contact to fully close, from the time therelay coil drive is applied to when power is fully connected to theload. Bounce Time (t_(BT)) is the time it takes for the kinetic energystored in a moving contact to be dissipated when it hits and thenbounces against a fixed contact before a stable connection is made.t_(BT) is included in t_(CT). Coil Energize (t_(CE)) is the time fromt_(RZC) when the relay coil drive is applied to energize the relay, andprovides for a “lead time” by which the relay is activated in order tominimise EMI/RFI. Coil De-energize (t_(CD)) is the time from t_(RZC)when the relay coil drive is removed to de-energize the relay, andsimilar to the Coil Energize time, provides for a “lead time” by whichthe relay is de-activated in order to minimise EMI/RFI.

The following example of relay timing is for a 50 Hz system where thefull cycle period is 20 ms and the time between zero crossing is 10 ms.The same algorithms apply for a 60 Hz system except the full cycleperiod is 16.67 ms and the time between zero crossing points is 8.335ms. To close an open relay contact and minimise EMI/RFI, microcontroller208 preferably energizes the relay coil at t_(CE) from t_(RZC) of thevoltage waveform where: if (t_(CT)-t_(BT)/2) ms<10 ms then t_(CE)=10−(t_(CT)−t_(BT)/2), otherwise t_(CE)=20−(t_(CT)−t_(BT)/2) ms. To open aclosed relay contact and minimise EMI/RFI, microcontroller 208preferably de-energizes the relay coil at t_(CD) from t_(RZC) of thecurrent waveform where: if t_(OT)<10 ms then t_(CD)=10−t_(OT), otherwiset_(CD)=20−t_(OT). It can be appreciated by one skilled in the art thatthe preceding algorithms can be adapted for Normally Open and NormallyClosed relays as needed.

For systems where large currents are being switched by a relay orcontactor, t_(CD) can be reduced by an incremental amount so thecontacts start to open just prior to the current zero crossing time toensure rapid extinguishment of any arcing as the zero current point iscrossed.

In one preferred embodiment, power management device 200 may not containany embedded power control circuits and operate as a power measurementdevice through power measurement 212.

Mechanical circuit breakers typically have dual-trip functionality inthe form of thermal and magnetic mechanisms. Thermal tripping captureslow-fault current levels typically through a bimetal conductormechanically responding to heat associated with an overcurrent. Magnetictripping captures overcurrents of sufficient size to cause a magneticarmature to mechanically respond. Magnetic tripping is a characteristicof current sensitivity to gross overload, and commonly trips in a periodas short as 4 milli-seconds or as close to instantaneous as mechanicallypossible.

Modern circuit breaker operating characteristics are graphicallyrepresented by trip curves that plot time against current level togenerate Classes bound by a band of minimum and maximum limits of totalclearing time. Total clearing time is the sum of a circuit breakerssensing time, unlatching time, mechanical operating time and arcingtime. For currents in excess of 125% of the circuit breaker rating at anambient temperature of 40° C., a circuit breaker should automaticallyopen the circuit within limits specified by the trip curve band for thespecified Class.

Trip-curve Classes are specified in standards published by UL, IEC andnational regulators globally, and typically adopt a letterclassification (such as B, C, D, E, G and Z) for each specifictrip-curve Class. Type Z is usually very sensitive and used for loadsinvolving electronics or semi-conductors where failure is commonly byshort-circuit (e.g. MOV failure, IGBT failure, thyristor failure).

The remaining classes are characterised by sensitivity to peak momentarystarting loads in order to avoid, where necessary, false trips onstart-up current transients, such as AC motors and transformermagnetisation inrush currents. The common classes are C (general) and D(desensitised to inrush) while B might be used for more sensitiveapplications. Severe inrush problems might require Class E.

Circuit breakers are rated by a sustain current, such as 10 Amperes,with the actual trip current related to the Class. By way of example,Class B typically trips on 3 to 5 times rated current, Class C on 5 to10 times and Class D on 10 to 16 times, while Class E trips at 15 to 20times rating. Class Z nominates 2 to 3 times rated current. All Classeshave similar mixed behaviour for persistent modest overload managed bythe “thermal” characteristic. The spread of trip point is a directresult of the mechanical and magnetic manufacturing variances at thecommercial price point.

In one preferred embodiment, power management device 200 is preferablyconfigured with power measurement 212 and power control circuitsallowing power management device 200 to operate as a configurablecircuit breaker. Power management device 200 is preferably configured toemulate a mechanical circuit breaker by retaining in memory theparameters of one or more trip-curve Class and utilizing a mid-pointtripping current multiplier or less along with an integrationcharacteristic based on time and overload current for a specifiedtrip-curve Class as a threshold monitored by power measurement module212. Where power measurement module 212 reports to systemmicrocontroller 208 that a tripping threshold has been violated, systemmicrocontroller 208 preferably terminates power to the attached loadthrough power control circuits such as relay 216. It can be appreciatedthat the circuit breaker capability of power management device 200 couldbe configured for a specific sustained current, such as, but not limitedto, 10 Amperes.

In that way, power management device 200 can preferably react to a tripevent caused by: thermal overload from a sustained current excess lessthan the trip current but in excess (such as more than 7.5% greater) ofthe sustain current; or, trip overload from any current greater than orequal to the nominated activation current, that is a “style” multiple ofthe sustain current.

It can be appreciated that the circuit breaker timing can be veryaccurately managed with the initial interrupt notification preferablyavailable within a one-half-cycle of an overload occurrence. Theoverload current can preferably be evaluated by system microcontroller208 immediately with switching synchronised, where appropriate, with therelay armature movement coinciding with zero-current flow, or at lowload, the zero of voltage, thereby protecting both the circuit and therelay contacts. By way of example, a thermal trip could be undertaken ina coordinated manner to switch the relay off on the next zero of current(or voltage at low current levels), while an overload trip could beundertaken immediately without coordination of the zero-crossing event,as the relay armature response is a reasonable match for the next zerocondition for normal power-factor.

In one preferred embodiment, power management device 200 may preferablybe configured to automatically attempt to re-connect power to anattached load after a circuit breaker event has occurred. The number ofre-connect attempts and intervening period between attempts canpreferably be specified by a user through the Product App. If the faultis not cleared within the allowed number of re-connection attempts,power management device 200 preferably prevents any further switchingevents through locking operation of any power control circuits until auser intervenes to rectify the line fault and/or clears the lock-outstate. Any circuit breaker event can preferably be reported to theProduct App or service platform 500 using any available communicationspathway and/or may be recorded in a local log file.

It is common for modern circuit breakers to offer Residual CurrentDevice (RCD) capability. In one preferred embodiment, power managementdevice 200 is preferably configured with the necessary circuitry andcomponents to operate as an RCD which may include utilization of acurrent transformer over the Active and Neutral leads to a load and anAppliance Leakage Circuit Interrupter Controller, Ground FaultInterrupter Controller, or suitable equivalent to process the CT signalinto a single pulse interrupt for system microcontroller 208 to receiveand action. It can be appreciated that an RCD trip is vital for safetyso that disconnection is immediate and un-coordinated with azero-crossing of current or voltage. In the event of an RCD trip, powermanagement device 200 preferably enters a lock-out state that preventsany further switching events until a user intervenes to reset the unit,which may require manual intervention. An RCD trip event can preferablybe reported to the Product App or service platform 500 using anyavailable communications pathway and/or may be recorded in a local logfile.

In one preferred embodiment, the Product App or service platform throughany available wireless communications channel with power managementdevice 200, is preferably allows a user to configure various parametersof the circuit breaker or RCD functionality. Configurable fields mayinclude: circuit sustain current; reconnect attempt time interval;number of reconnect attempts; engaging or disabling the circuit breaker;engaging or disabling the RCD; and specifying the trip-curve Class. Itcan be appreciated that specifying the trip-curve Class may adopt theexisting single-letter references in any appropriate standards, such asthose published by UL, IEC or regulating authority in a particularjurisdiction, as a basis for presenting those parameters in termsunderstood by the existing Electricity Authorities and the electricalindustry in general.

It can be appreciated that parameters within the trip-curve Classesimplemented in a power management device 200 could be varied withindeparting from the scope of the present invention. By way of example,Classes Z, B, C, and D could preferably be exact analogues of mechanicalcircuit breakers, but have corresponding multipliers on the sustaincurrent of 2, 3, 5 and 10 times. Mechanical breakers typically havemid-points of 2.5, 4, 7.5 and 12.5 times, the use of lower settings inpower management device 200 achievable through the accuracy inherent inpower measurement module 212.

In one preferred embodiment, setting the trip-curve Class may includeclasses specific or customizable to power management device 200 that donot correspond with standard trip-curves Class, but provide forparticularly sensitive trip conditions that might apply to electronicdevice loads. By way of example, a Type I Class may operateinstantaneously, without any implied current multiplier, on exceedingthe nominated circuit sustain current without regard for momentaryoverload or the normal thermal integration characteristic ofconventional circuit breakers in order to manage sensitive loads thatrequire tight current control. Breaker curves reflect a multiplierfactor for the actual trip current, so type I preferably has amultiplier of 1.0 on the nominated sustain current of the circuit. Byway of another example, a Type 15 Class supports a modest increment witha multiplier of 1.5 on the nominated sustain current. In all other ways,it continues to provide a thermal integration characteristic for currentbetween the sustain value and the trip value (e.g. 10 A sustain, 15 Atrip).

Where more than one power management device 200 is configured as acircuit breaker within an electrical distribution system or circuit, theProduct App or service platform 500 may preferably compare theprogrammed trip-curves for a number of chosen power management devicesby aligning the current axis at a common point to ensure that there isno overlap of the trip-curves and that the circuit breakers of eachpower management device 200 are therefore coordinated. Where thetrip-curves are calculated to have overlap, the Product App or serviceplatform may notify the user of the overlap allowing for adjustments tobe made in coordinating the circuit breakers.

In one preferred embodiment, a power management device may be configuredas a single phase or three phase meter, such as an electricity smartmeter used in domestic and commercial applications. It can beappreciated that any of the features, capabilities and functionsoutlined for power management device 200 can be applied to a powermanagement device configured as a smart meter. By way of example, wherea power management device is configured as a smart meter, adaptablecommunications 202 may preferably be configured to initially operate ina peer-to-peer mode, thereby allowing a smart device, such as a tabletor smartphone, to communicate directly with the smart meter. Utilizing apeer-to-peer connection, users may, through the Product App, choose toconfigure adaptable communications 202 in a network mode and connect toan available WLAN as a network client. In that way adaptablecommunications 202 may be configured to operate as a home area networkfor a power management device configured as a smart meter instead of, orin addition to, local network communications 206. It can be appreciatedthat where a power management device is configured as a smart meter withlocal network communications 206 utilizing Zigbee, power managementdevice 200 may preferably be configured as a ZigBee Smart Energycoordinator and Trust Centre rather than router or end device. Withoutlimiting any of the communication pathways, topologies, capabilities orfeatures outlined for power management device 200, it can be furtherappreciated that communications through an advanced meteringinfrastructure could be implemented by way of cellular communications210. Where desirable, adaptable communications 202 may be enabled ordisabled by commands received through an advanced meteringinfrastructure. In one preferred embodiment, adaptable communications202 may include security measures implemented through an advancedmetering infrastructure that restrict connections to authorized devices.In one preferred embodiment, where a power management device isconfigured as a smart meter, the ability to control any power controlcircuits may preferably be disabled through adaptable communications202.

In one preferred embodiment, power management device 200 may not containany embedded power control circuits and interface with external powercontrol circuits allowing for a custom number of circuits to meet theparticular requirements of the application at hand.

Where power management device 200 controls external power controlcircuits, it may do so through a physical connection (for example only,a wired connection) or may alternately use a wireless communicationslink, which can include any of the wireless communications links andcapabilities outlined in relation to power management device 200.Alternately, the ability to control external power control circuits mayrequire the addition of a supporting radio to power management device200 that may be a transmitter, or a transceiver, depending on therequirements of the external power control circuits. The supportingradio may be configured by system microcontroller 208 to operate at anumber of different carrier frequencies. Data could be modulated ontothose carrier frequencies such that the encoded data could be received,decoded and acted upon by a compatible radio receiver or transceiver ina remote power control circuit configured to operate, or integratedinto, devices such as, for example only, door mechanisms, gatemechanisms, motorized blind and awning mechanisms, motorized screenmechanisms, light switches, lighting controllers, lighting fixtures,lamps, luminaries, power control mechanisms, power outlets, fans,climate control equipment such as thermostats and air conditioningunits, vending machines, sprinkler and watering systems, pumps, poolfiltration systems, gas metering and control equipment, electricitymeters, peripheral computer equipment, consumer electronics, whitegoods,and alarm systems.

The supporting radio may be capable of FSK, GFSK, MSK, OOK or othermodulation methods and be able to operate over a wide frequency rangeincluding the license free Industrial Scientific and Medical (ISM)frequencies, or may support specific standards such as ZigBee, Z-Wave,Thread or equivalent standards. While these specifications areapplicable to most wireless sensor networks, home and buildingautomation, alarm and security systems and industrial monitoring andcontrol, there may be applications where a system compatible transceiverwith specific frequency and modulation specifications is required. Inthese situations, a specific supporting radio could be provided withinthe embodiment described herein.

It will be appreciated that the power control circuits described abovecan be extended in many ways without departing from the scope of thepresent disclosure.

In one preferred embodiment, a power management device 200 may beconfigured to include one or more illumination means or visual elementsthat represent a status or operative element of power management device200. A visual element could be by way of simple light emitting diodes,LCD, colour LCD, an integrated display, a touch screen or anycombination thereof.

Because power management device 200 can preferably be configured with anumber of radios in very close proximity operating in the same radiospectrum, such as 2.4 GHz, there is a requirement to prevent radiotransmissions interfering with each other. In order to prevent thecommunications from one radio interfering with others, systemmicrocontroller 208 is preferably configured to sequence radiotransmissions to minimize the potential for disruption. The sequencingof radio transmissions may be in addition to other coexistence methodssuch as dynamic frequency hopping and error correction.

It will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that thesystem described above can be varied in many ways without departing fromthe scope of the present disclosure. By way of example only, elements ofadaptable communications 202, system microcontroller 208, perpetualclock calendar 204, local network communications 206 and cellularcommunications 210 may be aggregated, or separated, into single ormultiple components, SoCs, PoPs or SiPs. For example only, ZigBee may beadded to adaptable communications 202 instead of local networkcommunications 206. Where adaptable communications 202 is configured tosupport HAN or PAN communications, an additional aerial or aerials maybe added where shared antenna support is not feasible. It will beappreciated that while Bluetooth has been discussed in relation tocommunications between smartphone 10 and power management device 200, itis not so limited, and is capable of supporting short range wirelessPANs with other Bluetooth enabled devices. In one preferred embodiment,Bluetooth can be used as a communication medium between power managementdevices and other Bluetooth enabled appliances and devices, includingthe use of mesh enabled protocol layers such as CSRMesh, wheredesirable.

Referring now to FIG. 3, a pictorial representation of system 100 isshown with an exemplary arrangement of smartphone 10, power managementdevice 200, MNO 300, LPWANO 302, appliances or devices PAN or HANnetwork 24 and preferred communications systems connecting each of theelements that will be described in detail below. System microcontroller208 is preferably configured to route, transfer or transpose data acrossany communications systems incorporated into power management device200.

Wi-Fi WLAN has an access point 14. Access point 14 has an Internetconnection 16. Wi-Fi WLAN communications preferably pass through accesspoint 14. Where power management device 200 is configured as a networkWi-Fi device, it preferably operates as a client of access point 14. Forsmartphone 10 to communicate with power management device 200 running asa network Wi-Fi client, smartphone 10 is also preferably connected toaccess point 14 as a client. Messages from smartphone 10 could then passthrough access point 14 to power management device 200. If smartphone 10were not in wireless range of access point 14, it may still be able tocommunicate with access point 14 via internet connection 16 if soconfigured. The communications between a smartphone and an access pointthrough an Internet connection will be described in further detailbelow.

In one preferred embodiment, power management device 200 may preferablybe configured to communicate with other devices and appliances connectedto the same WLAN through access point 14, which may include other powermanagement devices where desirable.

In addition to, or instead of, operating as a network Wi-Fi device,power management device 200 may be configured as a Wi-Fi Direct groupparticipant or to simulate a Wi-Fi access point. In that instance,smartphone 10 can wirelessly connect directly to power management device200 peer-to-peer without requiring any other device. Accordingly, it canbe seen that: (1) access point 14 is not required for peer-to-peercommunications; (2) the communications link is formed on an “as needed”basis; and (3) that smartphone 10 needs to be within radio range ofpower management device 200 to establish a direct peer-to-peercommunications link. Where desirable, a peer-to-peer connection betweensmartphone 10 and power management device 200 could be established usingBluetooth.

While not show, in one preferred embodiment power management device 200may be configured as an actual Wi-Fi access point providing Wi-Ficompliant devices access to a wired network by preferably aggregatingand performing the role of access point 14.

It can be appreciated that adaptable communications 202 and itsmulti-mode, peer-to-peer and network communications capabilities allow apower management device 200 to be configured in a number of differentways for communications with a smartphone with, or without, the use of aWi-Fi network. A power management device operating as a network Wi-Fidevice may be remotely accessed and controlled by a smartphone orservice platform where the access point has an internet connection,however the power management device then becomes exposed to the outsideworld and may be vulnerable to external threats such as hacking.Alternatively, a peer-to-peer connection by virtue of its limitedwireless range and architecture offers a higher level of security. Thebalance between operational modes is usually subjective and dependant onthe application at hand. In some instances infrastructure limitationssuch as the availability of an access point 14 may constrain operationalmodes. In some markets the penetration of Wi-Fi networks is relativelylow so that it is highly advantageous for power management device 200 toprovide a peer-to-peer means of communicating with a smartphone andpreferably connect to a WLAN as a client if available and desirable todo so.

Where power management device 200 is configured with cellularcommunications 210 and cellular communications 210 is configured withcellular or mobile broadband wireless technologies, a power managementdevice 200 can preferably communicate through a cellular or mobilebroadband data network of a MNO, such as MNO 300. Where power managementdevice 200 is configured with cellular communications 210 and cellularcommunications 210 is configured to communicate via LPWA wirelesstechnologies, a power management device 200 can preferably communicatethrough a LPWA network of a LPWANO, such as LPWANO 302. Theinfrastructure of MNO 300 or LPWANO 302 preferably provides acommunications pathway between power management device 200 and a serviceplatform. The Product App on smartphone 10 is preferably able tocommunicate with the service platform, and through the service platformto a power management device 200 connected to a MNO data network orLPWANO data network. It can be appreciated that the service platform maybe integrated into, or provided by, an MNO or LPWANO in facilitatingcommunication between the Product App and a power management device 200.

Power management device 200 may be configured to measure and provide areceived signal strength indicator, or received channel power indicator,of access point 14 which power management device 200 may preferablyreport to the Product App for display on smartphone screen 12. Areceived signal strength indicator, or received channel power indicator,is a measurement of the power present in a received radio signal andallows a user to locate wireless products such as power managementdevice 200 close enough to access point 14 in order to ensure that asufficiently strong wireless signal exists between the two devices toprovide the best environment for a stable and reliable communicationslink. The Product App may display on smartphone screen 12 a receivedsignal strength indicator, or equivalent, of a local networkcommunications wireless signal measured by power management device 200.The Product App may display on smartphone screen 12 a received signalstrength indicator, or equivalent, of a cellular or mobile broadbanddata network wireless signal or a LPWA network wireless signal measuredby power management device 200. The Product App may preferably displayon smartphone screen 12 a received signal strength indicator, orreceived channel power indicator, for a power management device 200measured by smartphone 10.

If desired, power management device 200 may be configured with a visualindicator capable of displaying a received signal strength indicationfor any wired or wireless signal that power management device 200 may becapable of measuring.

In one preferred embodiment, the Product App may preferably display asignal strength indicator, or received channel power indicator, of awireless communications signal as measured by smartphone 10 in order toassist with the initial placement and installation of power managementdevice 200 before it has been powered on and any communications linkshave been established. In that way, a user through the Product App couldpreferably stand in close proximity to the location where they wished toinstall power management device 200 and through the Product Apputilizing a smartphone's wireless communications, take a signal strengthor received channel power measurement of access point 14 and displayingthat in the Product App, thereby allowing the Product App or user todetermine if a sufficiently strong wireless signal exists to optimallysupport power management device operating as a client of access point 14at that proximate location. In one preferred embodiment, the Product Appmay provide a visual indicator that identifies the suitability of themeasured signal strength of access point 14 in supporting powermanagement device 200 as a client. By way of example, this could includea pointer or indicator against coloured sections within the Product App,the coloured sections preferably comprising red, orange and green withred denoting a poor measured signal strength of access point 14 andtherefore an unsuitable proximate location to install the powermanagement device, orange denoting an acceptable but not optimumlocation, and green denoting a strong measured signal strength of accesspoint 14 and therefore a suitable proximate location for installation ofthe power management device. It can be appreciated that other visualindicators may be suitable and within scope of the present disclosurewhere they preferably identify the suitability of a proximate locationfor a power management device 200 based on the measured signal strengthof an access point 14 by smartphone 10.

Where desirable, the Product App may be configured to preferably displaya signal strength indicator, or received channel power indicator, for acellular or mobile broadband data network as measured by smartphone 10in order to assist with the initial placement and installation of powermanagement device 200 before it has been powered on and any cellularcommunications links have been established.

Referring again to FIG. 3, power management device 200 may be configuredto communicate with appliances and devices in a PAN or HAN network 24,or networks, wirelessly using a suitable PAN or HAN communicationtechnology such as ZigBee. In some preferred embodiments it may bepreferable to configure power management device 200 with dual-networkcommunication capabilities the methodology of which has been outlinedearlier in relation to FIG. 2.

Because smartphones do not typically include native ZigBee, Thread orZ-Wave communication capabilities, they cannot communicate directly withappliances or devices configured with ZigBee, Thread or Z-Wave. Powermanagement device 200 therefore preferably performs any computationaltasks necessary to ensure data from the Product App is transposed into aformat compatible with appliances and devices in a PAN or HAN network24, and data from appliances and devices in a PAN or HAN network 24 istransposed into a format compatible with the Product App, therebyfacilitating two way communications as shown in FIG. 3.

In order for the Product App running on smartphone 10 and appliances anddevices in a PAN or HAN network 24 to communicate, any data preferablypasses between power management device 200 and smartphone 10 wirelesslypeer-to-peer, via access point 14, via MNO 300 or LPWANO 302, dependingon the chosen configuration of power management device 200.

The Product App is preferably configured to expose or cause the displayof the controls and capabilities of an appliance or device on a networkto which power management device is a participant or coordinator,allowing the Product App running on smartphone 10 to exchange data andcommands with a desired appliance or device through a power managementdevice 200 acting as an intermediary and facilitator. Some appliances ordevices may utilize their own proprietary command sets or language evenwhere using an open communication protocol, standard or specification,in which case the Product App is preferably configured to utilize theproprietary command sets or language of the target appliances or devicesin order to effectively exchange commands and data. In one preferredembodiment, the Product App may be configured with a range of differentcommand sets or languages allowing it to effectively communicate with anumber of otherwise disparate appliances or devices.

As outlined in further detail in relation to FIG. 4, the Product Apprunning on smartphone 10 can preferably communicate with access point 14via internet connection 16 utilizing a service platform, therebyenabling communications between the Product App and a power managementdevice 200 connected to access point 14 where smartphone 10 cannotdirectly communicate with access point 14, such as when smartphone 10 isout of wireless range of access point 14.

In one preferred embodiment, power management device 200 is preferablyconfigured to route requests from the Product App for data from anappliance or device in a PAN or HAN network 24 to the target applianceor device in a PAN or HAN network 24, and route responses from theappliance or device in a PAN or HAN network 24 back to the Product App.In that way, the Product App is preferably configured to exchange datawith appliances and devices in a PAN or HAN network 24 and powermanagement device 200 is preferably configured to operate as a router orintermediary facilitating the movement of data between the Product Appand appliances and devices in a PAN or HAN network 24. By way ofexample, the Product App may request, via a ZigBee Smart Energy cluster,data stored in a smart meter corresponding to the power consumed over achosen month, that request being routed from the Product App by powermanagement device 200 to the smart meter which preferably compiles thedata for the chosen month and routes a message through power managementdevice 200 back to the Product App.

In one preferred embodiment, an appliance or device in a PAN or HANnetwork 24 may preferably be configured to continuously, or periodicallyat a pre-determined sample rate, author, broadcast or multicastrepetitive data onto a local communications network, with powermanagement device 200 configured to route the data to the Product Appallowing the Product App to dynamically update a field or fields inaccordance with variations in the continuous or periodic repetitive dataauthored, broadcast or multicast by an appliance or device. By way ofexample, a smart meter may be configured to communicate via a ZigBeeSmart Energy cluster to continuously broadcast desirable state data to aPAN or HAN at certain intervals, such as current power usage at apre-determined sample rate, which power management device 200 couldpreferably route to the Product App where the data could be dynamicallydisplayed and vary in accordance with the power measurements beingauthored by the smart meter.

In one preferred embodiment, an appliance or device in a PAN or HANnetwork 24 may preferably be configured to author, broadcast ormulticast intermittent data onto a local communications network inresponse to a change in status, power management device 200 beingconfigured to route the data to the Product App allowing the Product Appto dynamically update a field or fields in accordance the change instatus reported the appliance or device. By way of example, a smartmeter may be configured to communicate via a ZigBee Smart Energy clusterto author, broadcast or multicast a change in state data to a PAN orHAN, such as a change in the tariff, which power management device 200could preferably route to the Product App where the tariff field orfields could be updated according to the data authored by the smartmeter.

In one preferred embodiment, power management device 200 is preferablyconfigured to route requests from a service platform for data from anappliance or device in a PAN or HAN network 24 to the appliance ordevice in a PAN or HAN network 24, and route messages from the targetappliance or device in a PAN or HAN network 24 back to the serviceplatform.

In one preferred embodiment, power management device 200 is preferablyconfigured to generate requests for data recorded or stored in anappliance or device in a PAN or HAN network 24 and route messages fromthe appliance or device in a PAN or HAN network 24 to the Product App ora service platform.

In one preferred embodiment, where an appliance or device in a PAN orHAN network 24 is configured to continuously, or periodically at apre-determined sample rate, author, broadcast or multicast repetitivedata onto a local communications network, power management device 200 ispreferably configured to route the data to a service platform.

In one preferred embodiment, where an appliance or device in a PAN orHAN network 24 is preferably configured to author, broadcast ormulticast intermittent data onto a local communications network inresponse to a change in status, power management device 200 ispreferably configured to route the data to a service platform.

In one preferred embodiment, power management device 200 preferablyoperates as a router or intermediary between the Product App, serviceplatform, and appliances or devices in a PAN or HAN network 24 and doesoperate as a database for energy measurements from those appliances ordevices other than to facilitate routing.

The Product App is preferably configured to use a smartphone's cellularor network Wi-Fi capabilities to exchange data with a service platform.Exchange of data with a service platform could include, by way ofexample only, data for the purpose of programming, controlling,provisioning, securing or interrogating a power management device 200 orcalculating or displaying trend analysis, historical analysis,comparative analysis, predictive analysis, granular metrics, costing,tariffs, budgets, billing and any other uses of the data measured by apower management device 200.

Where desirable, the Product App may preferably be configured to displaythe instantaneous power measured by power measurement 212. In apreferred embodiment, the Product App is configured to use data frompower measurement 212 and, where necessary, data from a service platformor a device or appliance in a HAN or PAN network 24, such as a tariff ortariffs, or data manually entered into the Product App, to determine anddisplay energy usage represented in a cost per unit of time, such asdollars per hour. In that way, a user through the Product App maydetermine the total instantaneous cost per unit of time of theelectricity consumed by all electrical apparatus connected to a powermanagement device 200 relative to a tariff or tariffs. Where desirable,the Product App may preferably be configured to display the cost perunit of time to run a chosen electrical apparatus attached to powermanagement device 200 and the rate of energy conversion or transfer withrespect to time based on an instantaneous power measurement incombination with a tariff or tariffs.

The Product App is preferably configured to allow a user to save thecalculated cost per unit of time associated with an electrical apparatusattached to a power management device 200 into the Product App or aservice platform and to compile a database so that the user may quicklyand easily identify and compare the electrical consumption profiles of arange of products and/or systems, or of a particular electricalapparatus over time.

Where an appliance or device in a PAN or HAN network 24 is capable ofmeasuring and reporting energy consumption metrics, the Product App maypreferably be configured to receive those energy consumption metricsthrough power management device 200 and save a calculated cost per unitof time; cumulative energy consumption data over a period of time; orany other reported energy metric associated with an individual applianceor device, into the Product App to compile a database so that the usermay quickly and easily identify and compare the electrical consumptionprofiles of a range of products and/or systems, or of a particularelectrical apparatus over time.

In one preferred embodiment, the Product App may be configured to savean energy consumption metric associated with an appliance or device in aPAN or HAN network 24 to a service platform or download an energyconsumption metric associated with a particular appliance or device in aPAN or HAN network 24 from a service platform.

Where an appliance or device in a PAN or HAN network 24 is capable ofmeasuring and reporting energy consumption metrics, power managementdevice 200 may preferably be configured to receive energy consumptionmetrics from an appliance or device in a PAN or HAN network 24 and routethe data to a service platform.

Where the electricity in a building, structure or installation is billedbased on time of use tariffs, the Product App may preferably display thecost per unit of time for a present tariff as well as a cost per unit oftime for any other tariff. In that way, the Product App may provide adynamic assessment of electricity consumption measured by powermeasurement 212 across a number of tariffs allowing a user to determinethe impact of consuming electricity at a particular rate across thosetariffs.

The Product App may preferably be configured to allow a user to enter anumber of parameters such as the tariff or tariffs, day or days, time ofday and/or for how long the power control circuit of a power managementdevice 200 is active, allowing the Product App to use any combination ofcost per unit of time measurements and calculations, tariffs andoperational times to display an estimated cost for operating anappliance or device functionally coupled to a power management device200 over the user definable period of time. The Product App maypreferably be configured to analyse the cost of use over a userdefinable period of time and suggest a means to minimise cost byreducing and/or shifting the use of an appliance or device to moreefficient days, or periods in a day, depending on analysis of anyvariable tariffs. The Product App may preferably be configured to offeran alert to avoid operating a particular appliance or device in responseto an anticipated spike in peak demand or during a peak tariff period.

In one preferred embodiment, the calculations undertaken in the ProductApp in displaying the cost per unit of time for the present tariff aswell as a cost per unit of time for any other tariff, includingsuggested periods to minimise cost, may be performed or assisted by aservice platform with the results being reported to the Product App fordisplay. The Product App may preferably be configured to offer an alertgenerated by a service platform to avoid operating a particularappliance or device in response to an anticipated spike in peak demandor during a peak tariff period.

It can be appreciated that cost per unit of time could equally besubstituted or supplemented with a number of different metrics withoutdeparting from the scope of the present disclosure. By way of exampleonly, other suitable metrics may include instantaneous power representedin kilowatt hours (kWh), an amount of a greenhouse gas generated perhour, and/or an equivalent carbon emissions value based on theelectricity being used. If a carbon emissions metric is utilised,parameters used to calculate a real-time carbon emissions preferablyinclude power usage and power source (e.g., coal burning source, hydro,wind and/or solar). Suitable base carbon emissions values may beobtained for each mode of electrical production in order to facilitatecalculations.

Referring to FIG. 3, where an appliance or device in a PAN or HANnetwork 24 has controllable functions, the Product App through powermanagement device 200 using local network communications 206 maypreferably allow a user to control, configure or program functions ofthat appliance or device in a PAN or HAN network 24. By way of example,where an appliance or device in a PAN or HAN network 24 is a connectedlight capable of executing a number of functions, the Product App maypreferably be configured to allow a user to control the functions of theconnected light such as turn on/off, dim, change colour, schedule, etc.In one preferred embodiment, a user could preferably schedule tasks tobe performed by appliances or devices in a PAN or HAN network 24, theschedule being executed by the appliance or device without needing apersistent communications link between power management device 200 and asmartphone 10. In one preferred embodiment, system microcontroller 208may be configured to preferably issue commands to an appliance or devicein a PAN or HAN network 24.

Where a power management device 200 is capable of varying power based ona trigger event being received through a wireless communicationsinterface, a user through the Product App may preferably configure anaction to be taken by a power management device 200 in response to atrigger event. A trigger event may include, but is not limited to,variation of a tariff or the receipt of a demand response command,threshold, flag, notification or data packet.

Where an appliance or device in a PAN or HAN network 24 has powercontrol capabilities, or is configured as a power control deviceallowing for the regulation of electricity to one or more appliances,apparatus, devices, products, and/or circuits within a building,structure or installation, the Product App through power managementdevice 200 may preferably allow a user to control, configure or programfunctions of that appliance or device in a PAN or HAN network 24,including causing it to vary the supply of electricity based at least inpart on instructions communicated from the Product App. In that way, andby example only, a user could schedule the supply or consumption ofelectricity by one or more appliances or devices in a PAN or HAN network24, the schedule being executed by the appliance or device withoutneeding a persistent communications link between the smartphone andpower management device 200. By way of another example, where anappliance or device in a PAN or HAN network 24 is capable of respondingto a demand response condition or change in tariff, the Product Appthrough power management device 200 may preferably allow a user toconfigure or program the action that an appliance or device in a PAN orHAN network 24 is to execute in response to receiving a demand responseevent or a change in tariff. A demand response event can be generated bypower management device 200, or received and routed through powermanagement device 200, using any desirable communication channel, whichby way of example may include a demand response event sent from aservice platform where power management device 200 is connected toaccess point 14 and access point 14 has internet connection 16, or powermanagement device 200 is connected to an MNO 300 network or LPWANO 302network. By way of another example, a demand response event or change intariff may be generated by smart meter, received by power managementdevice 200 on one HAN or PAN and routed to a different HAN or PANassociated with other appliances and devices where power managementdevice 200 is so configured.

In one preferred embodiment, system microcontroller 208 is preferablyconfigured by the Product App to issue commands to an appliance ordevice in a PAN or HAN network 24 based on a pre-configured schedule.System microcontroller 208 may preferably be configured by the ProductApp to issue commands to an appliance or device in a PAN or HAN network24 based on receiving a command from a service platform which mayinclude commands from a rules engine, such as the execution of an “IfThis Then That” (IFTTT) or equivalent logic recipe. In one preferredembodiment, system microcontroller 208 may preferably be configured bythe Product App to issue commands to appliances or devices in a PAN orHAN network 24 based on a rules engine or logic recipe executed locallyby system microcontroller 208. In that way, and by example only, a usercould schedule one or more appliances or devices in a PAN or HAN network24 to turn on or off at a pre-determined time or the occurrence of apre-determined event, the commands for varying the operational state ofthe appliance or device being generated by system microcontroller 208 orsystem microcontroller 208 executing commands from a service platformwithout needing a persistent communications link with smartphone 10.Power management device 200 could selectively command individual orsub-groups of appliances or devices if desired. Such commands may bebased on individual parameters associated with each appliance or deviceor sub-group, such as device type and/or power requirement.

In one preferred embodiment, system microcontroller 208 is preferablyconfigured to vary power through a power control circuit or execute afunction based on receiving a command from a service platform, which mayinclude commands from a service platform generated by a rules engine. Byway of example, system microcontroller 208 may report energy metricsmeasured by power measurement 212 to a service platform, the serviceplatform being configured to send an instruction to systemmicrocontroller 208 to terminate power through a power control circuitif a measured energy metric exceeds a parameter or thresholdpreconfigured in the service platform.

In one preferred embodiment, system microcontroller 208 is preferablyconfigured to vary the temperature or operational state of a connectedthermostat through a wireless communications link with power managementdevice 200, which may include through PAN or HAN network 24, WLAN accesspoint 14, a Bluetooth network, or any other direct or indirect wirelesscommunication link supported by the wireless communications of powermanagement device 200 and the connected thermostat, based on receiving acommand from service platform 500, including commands from serviceplatform 500 generated by a rules engine. By way of example, systemmicrocontroller 208 may report energy metrics for an attached HVAC orair conditioner unit measured by power measurement 212 to a serviceplatform, the service platform being configured to send an instructionto system microcontroller 208 to vary the temperature or operationalstate of a connected thermostat where a measured energy metric matches,exceeds, crosses or diverges from a parameter or threshold in theservice platform.

In one preferred embodiment, system microcontroller 208 is preferablyconfigured to vary the temperature or operational state of a connectedthermostat through a wireless communications link with power managementdevice 200 where system microcontroller 208 through power measurement212 determines that a measured energy metric for a HVAC or airconditioner unit attached to power management device 200 matches,exceeds, crosses or diverges from a pre-configured parameter orthreshold. By way of example, system microcontroller 208 may preferablycause a connected thermostat to increase or decrease its currenttemperature setting where the power consumption measured for a HVAC orair conditioner unit attached to power management device 200 matches,exceeds, crosses or diverges from a target threshold or parameter.

In one preferred embodiment, system microcontroller 208 is preferablyconfigured to vary the operational state of a HVAC system, hot waterboiler, or pump through a wired or wireless communications link withpower management device 200, based on receiving a command from serviceplatform 500, a demand response signal through any communications linkor network outlined in FIG. 4, or a command through any communicationslink or network outlined in FIG. 4. By way of example, systemmicrocontroller 208 may measure and report energy metrics for anattached HVAC compressor or air conditioner unit measured by powermeasurement 212 to a service platform, the service platform beingconfigured to send an instruction to system microcontroller 208 to varythe operational state of the attached HVAC compressor.

In one preferred embodiment, system microcontroller 208 is preferablyconfigured to vary the operational state of a HVAC system, hot waterboiler, or pump through a wired or wireless communications link withpower management device 200 where system microcontroller 208 throughpower measurement 212 determines that a measured energy metric for anappliance or device attached to power management device 200 matches,exceeds, crosses, diverges or is under a pre-configured parameter orthreshold.

In one preferred embodiment, a command to vary the operational state ofa HVAC system, hot water boiler, or pump may be executed through acommand, control or actuation signal from power management device 200via a wire medium to a wired terminal or control connection, such as anRJ45 jack or equivalent, on the device or appliance. In one preferredembodiment, a command to vary the operational state of a HVAC system,hot water boiler, or pump preferably complies with Australian StandardAS/NZS 4755 or its contemporary or equivalent in a chosen jurisdiction.It can be appreciated that power management device 200 can be adaptedwith the appropriate componentry to support AS/NZS 4755 communicationswithout departing from the scope of the present invention. Where soadapted, power management device 200 may be configured to control theoperational state of any device or appliance that adheres to AS/NZS 4755or its contemporary or equivalent in a chosen jurisdiction, includingbattery or power storage devices.

In one preferred embodiment, system microcontroller 208 may preferablybe configured to vary power through a power control circuit or execute afunction based on a rules engine running locally in systemmicrocontroller 208.

Power management device 200 may include a display if desired. In onepreferred embodiment, microcontroller 208 is preferably able tomanipulate the visual elements of the display based on metrics reportedby power measurement 212 in order to visually allow a user to interpretan electricity or consumption metric at any point in time. Whererequired, power management device 200 may download any necessary datafrom a service platform in displaying an element or making a calculationto display. By way of example only, the display may dynamically show thecumulative cost in a local currency such as dollars of the total billfor the current reporting period based on the electricity consumptionbeing reported by power measurement 212 and the appropriate tariffs. Byway of another example, coloured indicators may represent howconsumption is tracking against a desired budget in a visual form,ranging, for example, from green to within budget to red for overbudget. The display may preferably include a visual representation ofthe instantaneous rate of energy being consumed compared to a base ornormal operational load. In one preferred embodiment, the display may beconfigured to mirror or mimic elements of the user interface displayedon the smartphone screen. In one preferred embodiment, a powermanagement device 200 may be configured without an integral display.

FIG. 4 is a pictorial representation of a system 400 having a pluralityof communication pathways between and amongst smartphone 10, powermanagement device 200, MNO 300, LPWANO 302, a service platform 500, auser interface 502 a PAN or HAN network 24 or networks. It will beappreciated that other communications pathways or arrangements may bepossible and within the scope of the present disclosure.

Devices and elements within system 400 preferably utilize encapsulatedcommunications with the necessary abstraction layers to communicate witheach other through a chosen communication pathway. Where desirable,abstraction layers may preferably follow a general form of applicationlayer, transport layer, internet layer and link layer. Without limitingthe use of any suitable protocols, protocols that may preferably beutilized by power management device 200 and other devices and elementswithin system 400 may include any number or mix (including extensions,amendments or proprietary implementations) of: DHCP, DNS, FTP, OMG DDS,TFTP, HTTP, LDAP, NTP, ONC/RPC, RTSO, SNTP, CMOT, XMPP, SSH, TLS/SSL,MQTT, CoAP, TSP, TCAP, AllJoyn, ATP, DCCP, FCP, IL, MPTCP, RDP, RUDP,SCTP, SPX, SST, TCP, UDP, uTP, IPv4, IPv6, ICMP, ICMPv6, ECN, IGMP,IPsec, and any protocols in relation to a TCP/IP or OSI link layer.Communications within system 400 are preferably secured throughencryption, which may include multiple simultaneous instances for asingle communication such as encrypting a payload and the transportseparately. Encryption within system 400 may utilize any mix and numberof symmetric or asymmetric methods. A shared public ledger or blockchain may be utilized where desirable.

It can be appreciated that the wireless communications of powermanagement device 200 can preferably be configured to utilize auniversal language application layer across one or more of the differentwireless radios integrated into a power management device withoutdeparting from the scope of the present invention.

Several communications pathways outlined in FIG. 4 are similar to thosedescribed above in relation to FIG. 3. In particular, wirelesspeer-to-peer connection 402 between smartphone 10 and power managementdevice 200, WLAN connection 404 between power management device 200 andaccess point 14, WLAN connection 406 between smartphone 10 and accesspoint 14, local network communications 408 between power managementdevice 200 and appliances or devices in a PAN or HAN network 24 ornetworks, cellular or mobile broadband network connection 412 between apower management device 200 and MNO 300, and LPWA network connection 418between a power management device 200 and LPWANO 302 are preferablyconfigured as described above for system 100.

Continuing with reference to FIG. 4, service platform 500 is preferablyan applications service platform, server, and/or public, private orhybrid cloud programmed with, or containing software that communicateswith smartphone 10, and preferably the Product App, via a cellular ormobile broadband connection such as connection 410, or internetconnection such internet 414, depending on the communicationscapabilities of smartphone 10 and pathways available at the smartphone'slocation at any particular point in time.

Service platform 500 preferably includes the necessary computer(s),computing device(s), server(s), software and/or technologies capable ofone or more of processing, analysing, compiling, transposing, storing,exchanging, transferring, generating, receiving, sending, manipulating,compressing, cataloguing, securing, authenticating, updating,encrypting, and/or displaying data as necessary for any purpose that mayinclude capturing, curating, storing, searching, sharing, transferring,predicting, locating, notifying and visualizing data or controlling acontrollable element in system 400. Service platform 500 can preferablycommunicate with smartphone 10 and one or more of power managementdevice 200, MNO 300, LPWANO 302, user interface 502, an appliance ordevice in a PAN or HAN network 24, an appliance or device connected toaccess point 14, an appliance or device connected to power managementdevice 200 and/or another third party, using an available communicationpathway, or pathways, and communication methods.

MNO 300 is preferably configured to communicate with service platform500 through communication pathway 416. Communication pathway 416 can beformed between two nodes of a communications network and utilise one ormore of the internet, wireless, satellite, telephone, fibre or a directline, the actual communication standard and methodology of which is notmaterial as long as data can be exchanged between service platform 500and MNO 300 through a medium and in a format that the recipient caninterpret and use. Examples of communications nodes include, but are notlimited to computers, servers, wireless radios, routers, andcommunications gateways.

LPWANO 302 is preferably configured to communicate with service platform500 through communication pathway 422. Communication pathway 422 can beformed using any of the structures or methods described above forpathway 416.

Referring again to FIG. 4, in one preferred embodiment, the Product Apppreferably includes an agent, client, API, or other software interfaceto facilitate communications between service platform 500 and theProduct App using an available communication pathway, or pathways, andcommunication methods. By way of example, the Product App maycommunicate with service platform 500 utilizing cellular connection 410of smartphone 10. By way of another example, the Product App maycommunicate with service platform 500 where smartphone 10 is connectedto access point 14 through WLAN connection 406, and access point 14 hasinternet connection 16 allowing service platform 500 to communicate withaccess point 14 via internet 414, thereby allowing service platform 500and smartphone 10 to form an indirect communications link.

In one preferred embodiment, power management device 200 preferablyincludes an agent, client, API, or other software interface tofacilitate communications between service platform 500 and powermanagement device 200 using an available communication pathway, orpathways, and communication methods. By way of example, where powermanagement device 200 is connected to access point 14, and access point14 has internet connection 16, power management device 200 maycommunicate with service platform 500 via internet 414. By way ofanother example, where power management device 200 is connected to MNO300 via a cellular or mobile broadband network connection 412, it canpreferably communicate with service platform 500 through communicationpathway 416. By way of another example, where power management device200 is connected to LPWANO 302 via a LPWA network connection 418, it canpreferably communicate with service platform 500 through communicationpathway 422. While not show in FIG. 4, in one preferred embodimentservice platform 500 and a power management device 200 may be configuredto communicate through an appliance or device in a PAN or HAN network 24where that appliance or device can form a communications pathway withservice platform 500. Such a communications pathway may requireadditional service platforms acting as intermediaries. By way ofexample, a smart meter in a PAN or HAN network 24 could be configured tocommunicate with a power management device 200 and service platform 500and thereby act as an intermediary for communications between a powermanagement device 200 and service platform 500.

In one preferred embodiment, service platform 500 may preferably beconfigured as an intermediary for smartphone 10, through cellularconnection 410, to remotely communicate with power management device 200and control any of the capabilities of, or exchange data with, powermanagement device 200 through internet 414 where power management device200 is configured as a client of access point 14 through WLAN connection404. Smartphone 10 could preferably utilize service platform 500 andcommunications pathway 416/412 through MNO 300, or communicationspathway 422/418 through LPWANO 302 to control any of the capabilitiesof, or exchange data with, power management device 200 where powermanagement device 200 is so configured.

It can be appreciated that where service platform 500 and powermanagement device 200 can establish a communications link, serviceplatform 500 may preferably utilize the communication link with powermanagement device 200 to communicate with appliances and devices in aPAN or HAN network 24 also in communication with power management device200 through local network communications 408. In that way, serviceplatform 500 could preferably control, program, interrogate or exchangedata with appliances and devices in communication with power managementdevice 200.

In one preferred embodiment, service platform 500 may preferably act asan intermediary allowing smartphone 10 to remotely control, program,interrogate or exchange data with appliances or devices in a PAN or HANnetwork 24 connected to power management device 200. By way of example,where power management device 200 is connected to access point 14, andaccess point 14 has internet connection 16, power management device 200may communicate with service platform 500 via internet 414. The ProductApp running on smartphone 10 may utilize cellular connection 410 toestablish a communications link with service platform 500. Serviceplatform 500 can then preferably act as an intermediary allowing theProduct App to preferably control, program or interrogate appliances ordevices in a PAN or HAN network 24 in communication with powermanagement device 200 through local network communications 408.

Service platform 500 is preferably capable of communicating andexchanging data with any smartphone running the Product App.

Data that service platform 500 handles may include, but is not limitedto, commands, configurations, firmware, updates, energy measurements,sensor measurements, forecasting, notifications, analysis of any metric,tariffs, historical information, rules, schedules, sequencing, billinginformation, budget information, usage information, user data, installerdata, user measurements, security elements, location informationincluding global positioning data, demand response configurations,installation codes, identification codes, number of switchingoperations, alerts, images, media, alarms, text, state reports,condition reports, protocols, support information, customer serviceinformation, fault reports, contracts, agreements, request for service,offers, email, short message service (SMS), and push notifications.

It will be appreciated that the data capabilities of service platform500 allow it to act as an intermediary for a number of services. By wayof example, service platform 500 could preferably generate a message forsmartphone 10 warning consumers that a peak demand period is expected ata particular time, and delivers that message using cellular connection410 and/or internet 414, through WLAN connection 406 between smartphone10 and access point 14. Consumers then preferably use smartphone 10through power management device 200 to interrogate a smart meter in aHAN or PAN network 24 of the anticipated energy consumption at theexpected peak demand period in order to manage their own powerconsumption in response to the data service platform 500.

Any message, notification or alert from service platform 500 tosmartphone 10 is preferably delivered as a push notification to theProduct App on smartphone 10. It will be appreciated that the use ofadditional intermediary services from Google™, Microsoft™, Apple™ oranother third party may be required in order for service platform 500 toeffect a push notification to the Product App. Alternatively, a messagefrom service platform 500 could be delivered by way of SMS to smartphone10. It will be appreciated that the use of additional intermediaryservices from a telecommunications company may be required in order forservice platform 500 to send an SMS to smartphone 10. If desired, theuser may be presented with an option to select a message delivery meansas their preferred delivery means. For example, the user may elect toreceive notifications via e-mail or SMS.

Service platform 500 is preferably configured to operate as anintermediary for third parties to communicate with the Product Apprunning on smartphone 10, which could include any one or more of theexchange of data for forecasting, location, notifications, analysis ofany metrics, comparative analysis, tariffs, historical information,billing information, budget information, installer details, usageinformation, user data, measurements, demand response configurations,alerts, technical support information, customer service information,request for service, offers, contracts, agreements, fault reports, emailand SMS.

Preferably, the Product App is configured to upload any data stored byit on an associated smartphone; any data extracted from, or reported by,an associated smartphone; any data extracted from, or reported by, anassociated power management device; and/or any data extracted from, orreported by, an associated appliance or device on a PAN or HAN network24, to service platform 500. Service platform 500 may choose to shareany information uploaded to it with other third parties, devices orappliances.

Service platform 500 preferably calculates and delivers to smartphone 10an analysis of the data from one or more of the Product App running onsmartphone 10, from a power management device 200 and/or appliances ordevices on a PAN or HAN network 24, and may perform a comparison withdata compiled from one or more of the Product App, power managementdevice 200 and/or appliances or devices on a PAN or HAN network 24associated with other smartphones providing data to service platform500.

Referring to FIG. 4, database 504 is preferably configured to storeenergy metrics recorded by power measurement 212 from a plurality ofsources for one or more power management devices and/or systems. In apreferred embodiment, platform 500 utilises the energy metrics stored indatabase 504 to conduct comparative and predictive analysis ofappliances or devices connected to a power management deviceindividually. In one preferred embodiment, platform 500 utilises theenergy metrics stored in database 504 to conduct comparative andpredictive analysis of appliances or devices connected to a powermanagement device across related systems or applications which may beused to determine averages, means, trends and norms. It will beappreciated that the data may be stored across a public, private orhybrid cloud if desired rather than a single database server.

Conventional energy rating systems often rely on testing performed at amanufacturer or independent government agency. Due to variances inmanufacturing methods and operational conditions, the energyefficiencies of electrical devices and systems often change, making thestatic testing of products less accurate. One or more preferredembodiments of the systems and methods disclosed herein advantageouslypermit dynamic energy measurement and tracking of electricalapparatuses, devices and systems. For example, as the energy metrics fora given electrical apparatus or system is received by service platform500 from one or more networks or smartphones (via the Product App),service platform 500 is preferably configured to dynamically update(calculate) and maintain information such as energy efficiency ratings,power consumption metrics, and costs for each electrical apparatus andsystem databased. This information presents a more accuraterepresentation of energy metrics than that offered by conventionalsystems. The energy information or data may be used by governmentsand/or utilities to promote energy-conscience purchasing of products byoffering incentives such as rebates, or by manufacturers in betterunderstanding the performance of their electrical devices over time,thereby improving servicing accuracy or potentially highlighting designimprovements. The energy information or data may be used by an owner ormanager of an appliance or device to verify that it is operating withinspecification. Other variations are possible and within the scope of thepresent disclosure.

Service platform 500 may preferably analyse the data from the ProductApp running on smartphone 10 and/or a power management device 200, orcollection of power management devices, and deliver to the Product App acomparison showing the differential of alternate tariff(s) of an energyretailer on the current electricity usage and tariff. Service platform500, by way of the Product App, may preferably be authorized to make anoffer on behalf of an energy retailer for the recipient to transfertheir electricity billing to the energy retailer making the offer onagreed terms. A recipient of an offer could accept that offer throughthe Product App, the acceptance of which would be relayed to theappropriate energy retailer in the electricity market by serviceplatform 500.

Service platform 500 may preferably analyse the data from a definablegroup of power management devices, and deliver to the Product App acomparison showing the differentials for a chosen energy metric acrosseach of the power management devices over a definable period of time.The service platform 500 may provide an average, normal ormanufacturer's specified operational baseline as a guide for making acomparative analysis.

Data processing performed by service platform 500 may preferably begrouped within defined geographical locations. In one preferredembodiment, service platform 500 is preferably configured to manage orlimit communication pathways based on the geographic location of one ormore of smartphone 10, power management device 200, MNO 300 or LPWANO302.

Referring back to FIG. 4, system 400 is preferably configured to permitautomatic and/or manual selective variance of power to individualelectrical devices and/or systems by one or more of the smartphone user,power management device 200 or service platform 500. For example, apower management device may be controlled according to a command orschedule implemented through the Product App resident on a user'ssmartphone. There may be times when it is necessary or preferable tovary or interrupt the schedule due to a triggering event. Where there isa trigger event, either service platform 500 or an electricity industryparticipant through a smart meter in a PAN or HAN network 24 may issue anotification directly a power management device 200. In responsethereto, power management device 200 may vary power, shut off power, orwhere there is a programmed schedule, delay or reset the schedule and/orissue appropriate commands to one or more appliances or devices in anetwork that power management device 200 can communicate through.

By way of example, a power management device 200 may modulate power to apool filtration system via a programmed schedule. The receipt of triggerin the form of a tariff change preferably causes power management device200 to delay starting a filtration cycle until the tariff is changed toa lower tariff, or rescheduling a pool filtration cycle until a morefavourable tariff condition exists. The delaying or rescheduling of apower management device 200 may be applicable to other devices andsystems as desired, for example, air conditioning, heating, lighting,and/or water sprinkler systems.

Where a power management device 200 is capable of responding to atrigger event, it may preferably be configured so that a user can electto include their power management device 200 as a participant fortriggering event notifications and responses.

In an example of where the triggering event is a demand response,service platform 500 or electricity industry participant may issue ademand response to network 400 to vary or shut off power in a mannersimilar to that described above for a tariff change. A demand responsemay be issued, for example, when power demand is approaching a criticallevel, or when the power grid is being strained in a geographical areaas measured by power demand and power available. A demand response maybe issued according to predictive modelling, for example, if the weatheris predicted to be extreme, causing a spike in energy consumption. Uponreceipt of a demand response, power management device 200 may operate ina manner similar to that described above for receipt of a notificationof a tariff change. Power management device 200 may be configured sothat in an emergency situation, a demand response may be issued tooverride any designations, for example, shutting off or reducing powerto all power management devices. Where a power management device 200 isused for demand response, it may preferably be configured so that userscannot control or override any power switching operations.

Referring back to FIG. 4, in a preferred embodiment more than one powermanagement device 200 may be installed in a building, structure orinstallation. Service platform 500 is preferably configured so thatpower management devices 200 may be grouped under an account oridentity, allowing a user to manage a number of power management devices200 which may be installed in a single building, structure orinstallation, or across many buildings, structures or installations thatmay span a number of different locations throughout the world.

In one preferred embodiment, a demand response command, threshold, flag,notification, or data packet or a variation in tariff may be used bypower management device 200 to generate a notification or alerttransmitted by power management device to the Product App utilizing anyof the communications paths already outlined including communicationpathways 402 or 404/406, and may involve service platform 500 includingutilizing communication pathways 404/414/410, 412/416/410, or418/422/410.

In one preferred embodiment, a user through the Product App canpreferably set an aggregate power consumption limit or threshold in apower management device 200 which can be used as a trigger to generate anotification or alert to the Product App that the limit or threshold hasbeen exceeded. An aggregate power consumption limit is the desired totalamount of electricity that a user wishes to consume over a definedperiod of time. An alert may utilize any available communication path tothe Product App as outlined in the communication topologies outlined inFIG. 4. Power management device 200 through power measurement 212,preferably measures the total amount of electricity consumed throughoutthe defined period and compares this with the user defined thresholdstored in memory to determine if the threshold has been exceeded. In apreferred embodiment, power management device 200 can be configured toterminate power through a power control circuit where an aggregate powerconsumption limit or threshold is exceeded.

In one preferred embodiment, rather than setting a threshold in powermanagement device 200, the Product App can be used to set an aggregatepower consumption threshold in service platform 500. Through powermeasurement 212, power management device 200 sends to service platform500, or service platform 500 request from power management device,continuous or periodic measurements of the total amount of electricityconsumed throughout the defined period, service platform 500 comparingthis with the user defined threshold to determine if the threshold hasbeen exceeded. Where the threshold is exceeded, service platform 500preferably generates a notification or alert. Where desirable, serviceplatform 500 may preferably send an instruction to power managementdevice 200 to terminate power through a power control circuit where athreshold has been exceeded.

In one preferred embodiment, it may be desirable for power managementdevice 200 or service platform 500 to record or update a recurringrolling total consumption for a defined period of time on a cyclicalbasis. This may be, by way of example, each month or week.

In one preferred embodiment, the actual threshold or limit can be apercentage of the desired aggregate power consumption limit or thresholdallowing a notification or alert to be generated before the desiredthreshold is exceeded. It can be appreciated that any desirablepercentage can be used without departing from the scope of the presentdisclosure and that multiple notifications or alerts may be generated atdifferent threshold percentages to provide more than one warning asconsumption moves closer to the desired threshold.

In one preferred embodiment, a user through the Product App canpreferably manually or automatically set a threshold in power managementdevice 200, or service platform 500, which can be used by powermanagement device 200 or service platform 500 as a trigger for systemmicrocontroller 208 to execute a pre-configured command to a chosendevice or appliance in a HAN or PAN network 24. By way of example thismay be a command from system microcontroller 208 causing a device orappliance in a HAN or PAN network 24 to switch off or reduce powerconsumption in response to a threshold, or a percentage of a threshold,being met.

In one preferred embodiment, a user through the Product App canpreferably manually or automatically set a threshold or limit in powermanagement device 200 or service platform 500 for a metric or parametermeasured by power measurement 212, which can be used by power managementdevice 200 or service platform 500 as a trigger for systemmicrocontroller 208 to execute a pre-configured command to vary powerthrough power control circuits. By way of example, a user could specifya current trigger threshold in power management device 200 that could beused to terminate power where power measurement 212 reports that thedesired threshold has been exceeded.

It can be appreciated that the threshold feature of the Product App,service platform 500 and power management device 200 can be modified ina number of ways without departing from the scope of the presentdisclosure. For example, the sample rate power management device 200uses for power measurement 212 may be any desirable time interval andmay range from a second to hours. By way of another example, thethreshold monitoring period may be any desirable time interval, forexample a day, week, month, year, etc., and start at any desirable timeof day. Different units of time, currency, or value can be used in acalculation or displaying a result. Any underlying mathematicalequations giving effect to a result displayed in a field or fields mayincrease in sophistication to deliver more accurate analysis orpredictive results taking into consideration such things as tariffvariations and the difference in energy consumed between the week,weekends, day and night. In one preferred embodiment, a user may set abudget threshold or limit in a power management device 200 or serviceplatform 500 where the tariffs are known or power management device 200can determine the tariffs through a communication channel.

User interface 502 preferably, allows a user to communicate with serviceplatform 500 through a cloud dashboard, web interface, web browserportal, or software and may replicate and perform any desirablefunctionality of the Product App. In that way, user interface 502 couldbe used to access service platform 500 from a fixed location through adesktop computer or computer terminal rather than on a mobile deviceusing the Product App.

User interface 502 is preferably configured to allow a user to manage,control and configure various elements, services and functions ofservice platform 500, such as the establishment of a user account andmanagement of power management devices within that user account inservice platform 500. User interface 502 preferably includes thenecessary software, computer(s), computing device(s), server(s) and/ortechnologies capable of displaying, communicating and exchanging datawith service platform 500 utilizing communication pathway 420.Communication pathway 420 can be formed using any of the structures ormethods described above for pathway 416.

Where required, user interface 502 may preferably utilize anapplications service platform, server, and/or public, private or hybridcloud programmed with, or containing, software that communicates withservice platform 500. In one preferred embodiment, user interface 502may preferably be an integrated component, service or element withinservice platform 500 and may be hosted on service platform 500.

User interface 502 preferably allows a user to interface with serviceplatform 500 and exchange data with a power management device ordevices. By way of example, user interface 502 may be a software programrunning on a computer preferably configured to receive the same alertsor notifications from a power management device 200 or service platform500 as the Product App. By way of another example, user interface 502may be a cloud dashboard hosted on service platform 500 and accessedthrough a web browser on a computer that can be used to interrogate orcontrol a power management device. The foregoing description is by wayof example only, and may be varied considerably without departing fromthe scope of the present disclosure. For example, service platform 500could be wholly or partly integrated inside an MNO, LPWANO or anotherthird party.

In one preferred embodiment, a power management device can be completelyintegrated into an appliance or device or can be plugged into anappliance or device where power management device is in modular form.Examples include, but are not limited to: door mechanisms; garage doormechanism; gate mechanisms; lighting systems; lights; lighting fixtures;lamps; luminaries; motorized curtains, blinds, awnings and moviescreens; vending machines; heat exchangers; pool filtration systems;pumps; irrigation devices that regulate the flow of water; sprinklersystems; electric motors; heating, ventilation and air-conditioningsystems; thermostats; ceiling fans; security and alarm systems; sensors;hot water boilers; video and still cameras; gas metering and controlequipment; electricity meters; home entertainment and musical systems;consumer electronics; robotics; surveillance systems; door locks;refrigerators; freezers; domestic appliances; industrial appliances;electric motors; and whitegoods.

It can be appreciated that the functionality and capabilities outlinedin relation to controlling and automating appliances and devices on aPAN or HAN can be applied to appliances and devices on a differentnetwork, such as a WLAN managed by access point 14, without departingfrom the scope of the present invention.

Turning now to FIG. 5, an exemplary configuration procedure 600 is shownfor configuration of power management device 200 as a client of a Wi-Finetwork by smartphone 10 in a preferred embodiment of the presentdisclosure. While configuration procedure 600 has been described inrelation to a smartphone operating system, configuration procedure 600is not so limited and may be performed by the Product App or analternate app where either is able to control smartphone wirelesscommunications as required.

At step 602, smartphone 10 is connected to a network access point, suchas Wi-Fi network access point 14 in FIG. 3. At step 604 power is appliedto power management device 200 for the first time, allowing powermanagement device 200 to run all of its systems. At step 606, adaptablecommunications 202, configured to simulate a Wi-Fi network access pointor operate as a SoftAP, begins to wirelessly beacon its networkinformation. The wireless beacon preferably includes an identifier orservice discovery component that reports power management device 200 asan unconfigured network Wi-Fi device to Wi-Fi devices configured tointerpret the identifier. Where desirable, a specific service discoverybeacon could be transmitted through an alternate network, such asBluetooth, identifying power management device 200 as an unconfigurednetwork Wi-Fi device. At step 608, the smartphone operating systemthrough the smartphone's wireless transceiver, receives power managementdevice 200 service discovery information determines that powermanagement device 200 is unconfigured and reports to the user via thesmartphone touch screen that it has detected an unconfigured powermanagement device. At step 610, the smartphone operating system asks theuser if they would like power management device 200 to join a knownWi-Fi network, preferably the network smartphone 10 is currentlyconnected to. At step 612, the user through a touch input on thesmartphone screen confirms they would like the unconfigured powermanagement device to join a network known by the smartphone operatingsystem.

At step 614, the smartphone operating system may require the user toenter a desirable or required parameter, such as a security code used inestablishing a communications link between smartphone 10 and systemmicrocontroller 208, or giving unconfigured power management device 200a specific name to be used during configuration as a network client. Itcan be appreciated that step 614 may be excluded where providing thequickest and easiest mechanism for configuration of a power managementdevice 200 by smartphone 10 as a client of a network known by smartphone10 is desirable, or where elements of step 614 may be performed afterpower management device 200 is configured and connected to a network asa client, such as giving it a unique name.

At step 616, the smartphone operating system establishes a securepeer-to-peer Wi-Fi connection with power management device 200preferably configured to simulate a network access point or operate as aSoftAP. The opening of a secure peer-to-peer Wi-Fi connection mayinclude the utilization of authentication hardware, firmware orsoftware, such as encryption software, integrated into power managementdevice 200 and smartphone 10, so that power management device 200 mayautomatically establish a secure connection with smartphone 10 utilizingan authentication handshake without requiring the user to input anysecurity credentials manually. It can be appreciated that wheresmartphone 10 is unable to support a simultaneous connection with anetwork access point and a device simulating a Wi-Fi network accesspoint or operating as a SoftAP, such as power management device 200,smartphone 10 may disconnect from the Wi-Fi network access point inorder to establish a secure peer-to-peer Wi-Fi connection with powermanagement device 200.

At step 618, the smartphone operating system configures power managementdevice 200 with the network credentials of a known network, includingthe network password, and any other desirable or necessary parameters sothat power management device 200 can join the specified network as anetwork Wi-Fi client device. At step 620, the smartphone operatingsystem terminates the peer-to-peer Wi-Fi connection with powermanagement device 200. If the smartphone operating system disconnectedfrom a network access point in order to establish a peer-to-peer Wi-Ficonnection with power management device 200 at step 616, the smartphoneoperating system preferably re-establishes a connection with the networkaccess point. At step 622, power management device 200, using thenetwork configuration data from the smartphone, configures itselfaccording to the network parameters supplied as a network Wi-Fi deviceand connects to the specified network access point as a client, afterwhich power management device 200 and smartphone 10 are preferably ableto discover each other and communicate with through the network accesspoint.

In one preferred embodiment, it may be preferable for power managementdevice 200 and smartphone 10 to utilize Wi-Fi Direct in establishing apeer-to-peer connection in configuration procedure 600. In that way, atstep 606 wireless communications may preferably beacon as a Wi-Fi Directdevice with an identifier or service discovery component wheredesirable. It can be appreciated that by utilizing Wi-Fi Direct,smartphone 10 may be able to maintain concurrent connections with anetwork access point and power management device 200 throughoutconfiguration procedure 600.

It will be appreciated that certain steps outlined in configurationprocedure 600 may be modified, deleted or added without departing fromthe scope of the present disclosure. For example, configurationprocedure 600 may be adapted for execution by an API, the Product App ora third party app rather than a smartphone operating system. By way ofanother example, smartphone operating system may cause power managementdevice 200 to start its configuration procedure after confirmation bythe power management device that it has successfully received thenetwork parameters from the smartphone, or system microcontroller 208 ofpower management device 200 may terminate the peer-to-peer connectionwith the smartphone and start its configuration procedure aftersuccessfully receiving network parameters from the smartphone withoutthe smartphone operating system needing to initialize the process.

Referring back to FIG. 4, it may be highly advantageous for powermanagement device 200 to report its geographic location to the ProductApp or service platform 500, or for system microcontroller 208 toutilize the geographic coordinates of power management device 200 inperforming a calculation, such as algorithmically determining sunriseand sunset for the location where power management device 200 isinstalled. While not shown, in one preferred embodiment power managementdevice 200 may be configured with a GPS or multi-constellation GlobalNavigation Satellite System (GNSS) or other positional technology suchas, by way of example only, technology utilizing assisted GPS, syntheticGPS, cell ID, inertial sensors, beacons (including Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, andLPWA network beacons), network triangulation (including cellular andLPWA network triangulation), terrestrial transmitters, and geomagneticfield techniques that allow the location coordinates of power managementdevice 200 to be determined and reported to system microcontroller 208.

It can be appreciated that the integration of global positioningtechnologies within power management device 200 add cost and complexitywhile consuming more power for a task that may be infrequentlyperformed. In one preferred embodiment, the Product App is preferablyconfigured to utilize the location services of smartphone 10 indetermining the immediate global position of smartphone 10. The globalposition is preferably reported by the smartphone's location services ina format allowing a position on the Earth's surface to be determinedfrom coordinates such as longitude and latitude, Universal TransverseMercator coordinates, military grid reference system coordinates, orother suitable equivalents. Because location determination is typicallya core service of modern smartphones, the present invention is notlimited to using GPS and can equally accept location data from othertechnologies the smartphone may use.

After the Product App has acquired the location coordinates reported bysmartphone 10, the user, preferably utilizing a wireless peer-to-peercommunications link between smartphone 10 and power management device200, can transfer the location coordinates for smartphone 10 from theProduct App to power management device 200. Because a wirelesspeer-to-peer connection between smartphone 10 and power managementdevice 200 requires relatively close proximity, the location coordinatesfor smartphone 10 serves as a close proximate for the location of powermanagement device 200. Power management device 200 preferably recordsthe location coordinates received from the Product App in memory andreports and utilizes those coordinates as its geographic location.System microcontroller 208 is preferably configured to report to serviceplatform 500 and the Product App location coordinates for powermanagement device 200 that service platform 500 or the Product App canuse to geo-locate power management device 200. Service platform 500 orthe Product App may visually display the location of power managementdevice 200, or a number of power management devices, on a map orbuilding floor plan utilizing the location coordinates specific to eachpower management device 200.

The visualization of a location on a map in the Product App or serviceplatform 500 may utilize a web mapping service, mapping serviceapplication and/or mapping API such as Google Maps, Microsoft Bing Maps,Here Maps, Apple Maps or an equivalent, the integration of which wouldbe understood by those of ordinary skill in the art.

In one preferred embodiment, the Product App is preferably configured todisplay the current location reported by the smartphone locationservices visually as a point on a map using an icon. Where the ProductApp is unable to acquire accurate, or any, location coordinates from thesmartphone location services, a user can preferably determine theirlocation by manually entering an address into the Product App, theProduct App preferably being configured to use a web mapping service,mapping service application and/or mapping API to determine the locationcoordinates of that address which may be visually represented as a pointon a map using an icon where desirable. It can be appreciated that theuse of a web mapping service, mapping service application and/or mappingAPI allows the Product App to acquire the location coordinates of anaddress manually entered by a user where a personal controller is notequipped with geographic location determining technologies. In onepreferred embodiment, the Product App may be configured with a databasemapping elements of an address (such as a suburb, neighbourhood, city,post code or zip code for example) with a set of corresponding defaultlocation coordinates in order to provide a rough approximation oflocation where more accurate methods cannot be utilized.

Smartphone location services sometimes have difficulty determininglocation, particularly if a higher level of accuracy is desirable. Inone preferred embodiment, a user, utilizing the smartphone's touchscreen, is preferably able to manually move a location icon in theProduct App to a new location on a map. The Product App preferablyutilizes the smartphone's location services or a web mapping service,mapping service application and/or mapping API to determine the newlocation coordinates for where the user has placed the icon and utilizesthese as the location coordinates to be transferred to power managementdevice 200. In that way a user can manually fine tune the locationcoordinates that they wish to associate with a power management device200.

It may become apparent that the location of power management device 200was not loaded during installation, or that the location of a powermanagement device 200 has changed since being originally installed. Inone preferred embodiment, where power management device 200 is incommunication with service platform 500, a user through user interface502 or the Product App may preferably transfer location coordinates topower management device 200 through service platform 500 using anycommunication path available. Possible communication pathways have beenoutlined in FIG. 4. In one preferred embodiment, the Product App or userinterface 502 preferably allows a user to choose a location for powermanagement device 200 on a map and using a web mapping service, mappingservice application and/or mapping API, determines the locationcoordinates for the chosen location which are preferably transferred topower management device 200 through service platform 500.

It may be desirable for power management device 200 to vary a powercontrol circuit based on sunrise or sunset. In one preferred embodiment,power management device 200 is preferably programmed with anastronomical algorithm that can compute the time of sunrise and sunsetfor a given geographic location and a known reference of time and date.System microcontroller 208 is preferably configured to compute a timefor sunrise and/or sunset algorithmically utilizing the locationcoordinates stored in memory in combination with the date and timereported by perpetual clock calendar 204 and, where configured throughthe Product App, vary power control circuits, such as relay 216 or relay218, in accordance with the time calculated for sunrise and sunset. TheProduct App is preferably configured so that a user can choose to enteran offset of an added or reduced chosen number of minutes, that offsetbeing transferred to power management device 200 and utilized by systemmicrocontroller 208 to advance or delay a switching operation from thetime calculated for sunrise or sunset, thereby allowing the user toeffectively choose a constant ambient light level without using anambient light level detector.

The foregoing description on location determination is not limited topower management devices and can be applied to a range of appliances ordevices where location reporting is desirable. Examples include, but arenot limited to: door mechanisms; garage door mechanism; gate mechanisms;lighting systems; lights; lighting fixtures; lamps; luminaries;motorized curtains, blinds, awnings and movie screens; vending machines;heat exchangers; pool filtration systems; pumps; irrigation devices thatregulate the flow of water; sprinkler systems; electric motors; heating,ventilation and air-conditioning systems; thermostats; ceiling fans;security and alarm systems; sensors; hot water boilers; video and stillcameras; gas metering and control equipment; electricity meters; homeentertainment and musical systems; consumer electronics; robotics;surveillance systems; door locks; refrigerators; freezers; domesticappliances; industrial appliances; electric motors; and whitegoods.

The power measurement capabilities of power management device 200preferably enable it to measure the power factor of an appliance ordevice. It can be appreciated that for applications where the powerfactor is less than unity, it may be highly advantageous to providepower factor correction. Referring now to FIG. 8, a power managementdevice 700 is shown. Power management device 700 is similar to powermanagement device 200 except that power management device 700 includespower factor correction circuitry and components. Power managementdevice 700 preferably includes wireless communications 702, wirelesscommunications aerial(s) 702 a, perpetual clock calendar circuit 704,power measurement 706, system microcontroller 708, relay drivers andpower factor control circuit 710, relays 1 to N (shown in FIG. 8 asrelays 712, 714, 718, and 722, respectively), capacitor 716, capacitor720, through to capacitor 724. Wireless communications 702 can beconfigured with any of the wireless communication elements, componentsand capabilities outlined for power management device 200 which mayinclude one or more aerials 702 a in support of the chosen wirelesscommunications and has been depicted in FIG. 8 as a single functionalelement for conciseness only. The power switching functions of relays712, 714, 718, and 722 can be performed by any suitable power switchingtechnologies including any power switching technologies outlined earlierin relation to the power control circuits in power management device200.

The power factor correction may be achieved by applying a capacitiveload across Ao and No in parallel with an inductive load causing thepower factor measured at A_(I) and N_(I) to increase toward unity. Theamount of capacitance required across Ao and No depends on how far themeasured power factory is away from unity and is specific to aninductive load. In one preferred embodiment, power management device 700is preferably configured with a one or more capacitors, such ascapacitors 716, 720 through to 724. Where more than one capacitor isutilized, each capacitor may preferably adopt any mix of capacitance andmay be constant, for example 1 uF each, may increase incrementally, forexample 1 uF, 2 uF, 3 uF, etc, may increase binary, for example 1 uF, 2uF, 4 uF, etc, or may increase according to an algorithm. While notshown, more than one capacitor may be used to create a capacitive loadcontrolled by a single relay.

Power measurement circuitry 706, under the control of systemmicrocontroller 708, is preferably configured to measure the powermetrics of a load connected to the power outputs Ao and No. A loadconnected between Ao and No is preferably activated when relay 712 isclosed. Where a load is inductive, such as an electric motor, powermeasurement 706 is preferably configured to report the measured powerfactor to system microcontroller 708, or system microcontroller 708calculates the power factor from the power metrics measured and reportedby power measurement 706. With a known power factor, systemmicrocontroller 708 is preferably configured to calculate the capacitivereactance required to increase the power factor as close to unity as canbe achieved through a mix of installed capacitors. Systemmicrocontroller 708 preferably commands relay drivers and power factorcontrol 710 to switch one or more relays bringing one or more capacitorsinto the circuit as required. While the circuit is active, powermeasurement 706 preferably continually monitors the power metrics of aload, allowing system microcontroller 708 to dynamically vary the powerfactor correction as the load changes so that an optimum power factorcan be maintained over time. Such functionality cannot be readilyachieved with a fixed power factor correction system. Where power to aload is to be terminated, system microcontroller 708 preferably commandsrelay drivers and power factor control circuit 710 to switch all powerfactor capacitors out of the circuit prior to causing relay 712 toterminate power.

In one preferred embodiment, power factor correction may be configuredas a standalone device external to power management device 200, butfunctionally coupled through a wireless or hardwired connection,allowing system microcontroller 208 to control relay drivers and powerfactor control circuit 710 for the switching of capacitance as required.A standalone power factor corrector may preferably take the form ofrelay drivers and power factor control 710 with one or more relays, suchas relays 714, 718 through to 722, and one or more capacitors, such ascapacitors 716, 720 through to 724. It can be appreciated that wirelesscommunications may be added to a standalone power factor corrector tofacilitate wireless communications with a power management device 200 orservice platform 500. It can be appreciated it may be necessary for astandalone power factor corrector to include a microcontroller to managesystem, functional and communication capabilities.

Where power factor correction is configured external to power managementdevice 200, power management device 200 may preferably report to amicrocontroller in the power factor corrector a power factor value orpower measurements allowing the power factor corrector microcontrollerto calculate a power factor value, thereby allowing the power factorcorrector microcontroller to switch in the necessary capacitance toadjust the power factor as close to unity as can be achieved through amix of installed capacitors.

In one preferred embodiment features outlined for the Product App may besplit over different configurations of the Product App. By way ofexample, an installer may have one version of the Product App configuredfor installing a power management device 200 while a user many haveanother version of the Product App configured for operating a powermanagement device 200, thereby allowing for a number of differenttechnical support and service architectures in combination with datareporting capabilities of power management device 200. Examples ofProduct App configurations, technical support and data exchange featuresthat may be incorporated into a power management device 200 and serviceplatform are described in more detail in PCT Application No.PCT/AU2013/001231 filed Oct. 23, 2013, titled “System and Method forExchanging Support Data with a Device Having No Physical UserInterface”, the entire contents of which being incorporated herein byreference. Where desirable, smartphone 10, the Product App or serviceplatform 500 may include voice recognition that analyzes the digitalrepresentation of an analog voice command to determine and implement therequired function spoken by a user.

It can be appreciated that perpetual clock calendar 204 in combinationwith power measurement module 212 preferably allows power managementdevice 200 to perform a number of power control measures by varying theelectricity supplied to a device or appliance during a defined period oftime. In one preferred embodiment, power management device 200 may beconfigured to lock out or prevent an appliance or device from consumingelectricity during a defined period of time. Where a defined period oftime has been specified for preventing power to be supplied to anattached appliance or device, power management device 200 preferablywill not accept any automation programming that would otherwise supplypower during the specified time. By way of example, power managementdevice 200 may be configured by an energy retailer or utility so thatfor the months of June, July and August between the times of 6 pm and 9pm daily, no power could be supplied to an attached pool pump.

In another preferred embodiment, power management device 200 may beconfigured with an aggregate power consumption limit or threshold by anenergy retailer or utility which can be used as a trigger to terminateelectricity once the limit or threshold has been exceeded. In thisinstance, the aggregate power consumption limit is the desired totalamount of electricity that an energy retailer or utility sets forconsumption over a defined period of time. Power management device 200through power measurement 212, preferably measures the total amount ofelectricity consumed throughout the defined period and compares thiswith the threshold stored in memory to determine if the threshold hasbeen exceeded. Outside of the defined period, power management device200 would preferably supply power normally or operate according to anyother configuration settings or programming such as other automationtimers. By way of example, power management device 200 may be configuredby an energy retailer or utility so that for the months of June, Julyand August between the times of 6 pm and 9 pm from Monday to Friday, anattached heating, ventilation and air conditioning unit could onlyconsumer 2000 watts in aggregate power after which power would beterminated and reactivated again after the 9 pm endpoint.

In another preferred embodiment, power management device 200 may beconfigured with an aggregate power consumption limit for a definedperiod of time allowing a target power consumption rate to becalculated. Power measurement 212 preferably measures the instantaneouspower consumed so that power management device 200 can at any timecalculate if the rate of power being consumed is higher, lower or equalto the target power consumption rate for the defined period. If the rateof power being consumed is equal to the target power consumption rate,no action is taken. If the rate of power being consumed is less than thetarget power consumption rate, no action is taken. If the rate of powerbeing consumed is greater than the target power consumption rate, thetotal amount of power consumed over the defined period will exceed theaggregate power consumption limit by the difference between the rate ofpower being consumed less the target power consumption rate multipliedby the remaining time in the defined period. In this case, powermanagement device 200 preferably cycles electricity to the attacheddevice or appliance in an on/off fashion so that the target powerconsumption limit is not exceeded. In that way, power management device200 preferably reduces the rate of power being consumed by introducingperiods of no power consumption so that the rate of power being consumedover the defined period matches the target power consumption rate forthe defined period. By way of example, an aggregate power consumptionlimit for an attached appliance may be set at 1000 watts between adefined period of 6 pm to 7 pm yielding an average power consumptionrate of 1 kWh. Where power management device 200 calculates throughsampling performed by power measurement 212 that the rate of power beingconsumed at 6 pm is 2 kWh, power management device 200 preferably cyclespower to the attached appliance reducing the total operating time from 6pm to 7 pm by half so that the actual power consumed does not exceed thetarget power consumption limit.

It can be appreciated that the cycle rate may include equal periods ofON and OFF, or operate a staggered or mathematically derived pattern orbe configured according to the specific needs or requirements of anattached appliance or device. Because the rate of power being consumedmay not be linear, power management device 200 may periodically orcontinuously vary the cycle rate according to variations in the rate ofpower being consumed which may include an offset or allowance for anyperiod where the rate of power being consumed is under the target powerconsumption rate.

In one preferred embodiment, an energy retailer or utility may set anydesirable threshold, limit, rate or trigger in service platform 500.Through power measurement 212, power management device 200 may beconfigured to preferably send to service platform 500, or serviceplatform 500 may request from power management device, continuous orperiodic measurements throughout a defined period, service platform 500utilizing these to determine if power should be supplied or terminatedto an attached appliance or device according to the threshold, limit,rate or trigger set by an energy retailer or utility. Using anyavailable communications pathway, service platform 500 preferablyinstructs power management device 200 to terminate or activate powerthrough a power control circuit as required.

There is no single communications protocol or standard that can be usedto universally communicate across all service platforms, applications,software, devices and appliances. It can therefore be appreciated that amechanism which allows end users to configure communication protocols sothat a power management device 200 can communicate with their preferredservice platform, applications, software, devices or appliances would behighly desirable.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 9, in one preferred embodiment systemmicrocontroller 208 preferably runs an operating system thatincorporates a firmware component designed to support protocol softwareplug-ins. This firmware component preferably includes: a virtualmachine; a corresponding execution environment consisting of sandboxedsoftware plug-in slots configured to accept protocol software plug-ins,each of which slot may have an allocation of memory and CPU resourcesneeded to operate within the execution environment; and an API so thatthe protocol software plug-in can access communication hardware as wellas access and control any other aspects of power management device 200as required by the protocol software plug-in implementation. Theprotocol software plug-in is preferably created by compiling ahigh-level language into a format compatible with the executionenvironment. By way of example, the protocol software plug-in could beproduced by compiling the Java language. The protocol software plug-inspreferably contain the communication algorithms and configuration datafor power management device 200 to communicate with external serviceplatforms, devices, appliances, applications and software, includingbusiness management systems and the Product App. Protocol softwareplug-ins can be installed locally or remotely using any of thecommunication paths outlined in FIG. 4, and can be installed on theirown, or bundled with the system's firmware. By way of example, aprotocol software plug-in could be installed from the Product App via apeer-to-peer connection through adaptable communications 202. By way ofanother example, a protocol software plug-in could be installed on itsown or bundled with the system's firmware and installed from serviceplatform 500 via a cellular or mobile broadband network connectionand/or WLAN connection through cellular communications 210 and/oradaptable communications 202.

Turning to FIG. 9, a pictorial representation of firmware component 800configured to support multiple communications protocols is shown inaccordance with one preferred embodiment of the present disclosure.Firmware component 800 runs on system microcontroller 208 and ispreferable configured with plug in slots 802 to 808 that receiveprotocol software plug-ins, such as protocol software plug-in 810, thatoperate in a secure sandboxed environment, such as secure sandboxedenvironment 814, where resources for controlled execution are managed ona per slot basis, including but not limited to thread and heap resources816, in accessing exposed features and capabilities via API 818. Duringmanufacturing, firmware component 800 is preferably configured withNative Provisioning Interface (NPI) 812. It can be appreciated that thenumber of plug in slots 802 to 808 may be dynamically allocatedaccording to available memory or fixed to a specified number.

Firmware component 800 is preferably based on an industry-standardVirtual Machine architecture tailored specifically for the purpose ofcreating communications interfaces, thereby omitting or abridging manypotentially dangerous features which could permit threading and otherVirtual Machine capabilities from interfering with operations. Throughthe firmware component 800, each protocol software plug-in is preferablyinstalled and contained in its own secure, sandboxed environment in theform of a protocol software plug-in slot. Firmware component 800preferably allocates each slot a set amount of code or memory spacewhich is separately managed in order to isolate installed protocolsoftware plug-ins from each other and core system elements.

Protocol software plug-ins preferably interface with the firmware andoperating system through a built-in API used to access declared orexposed features and capabilities of a power management device such as,and by way of example only, any communications transport, powerswitching element or capability, power measurement element orcapability, storage, update facility, clock/calendar and securityelement or capability. Firmware component 800 maintains strict controlover thread and resource usage so that nothing a protocol softwareplug-in attempts can interfere adversely with the hardware's coreoperations or other protocol software plug-ins. In that way, thecommunications protocols and configuration data are not embedded in thefirmware but remain separate although functionally coupled throughinteraction with the exposed feature sets.

Every power management device 200 preferably contains a NativeProvisioning Interface (NPI). The NPI is a default protocol softwareplug-in preferably configured to support communications through anavailable physical and data-link layer, thereby allowing the Product Appon smartphone 10, other mobile communications devices, a serviceplatform or other appropriate systems and software to communicate with apower management device 200. The NPI can preferably be used for: qualitycontrol testing during production; to program or commission a powermanagement device 200; to install new firmware; to control a function ofpower management device 200; and to install and provision protocolsoftware plug-ins. If desired, the NPI can be disabled or uninstalled,leaving a power management device completely in control of any installedprotocol software plug-ins. Through that process, users can createhighly secure devices decoupled from the default NPI and provisioningenvironment. Should it be required, the NPI can preferably be recoveredthrough a factory reset in order to ensure that the hardware is neverinadvertently bricked. In one preferred embodiment, communication withthe NPI is preferably done through a JSON-RPC interface managed overHTTPS.

In one preferred embodiment, the firmware component 800 can preferablysupport two or more protocol software plug-ins. The ability to stackprotocol software plug-ins allows power management device 200 tocommunicate with multiple external elements simultaneously usingdifferent protocols and configuration data. It can be appreciated thatthis mechanism provides power management device 200 with a redundancymechanism allowing the device to be reached if one external elementstops operating temporarily or permanently.

Developers can preferably use a SDK to create or modify protocolsoftware plug-ins. Protocol software plug-ins are preferably developedusing a customised version of an industry-standard InteractiveDevelopment Environment, or IDE, such as IntelliJ IDEA. Protocolsoftware plug-ins can thus be extensively tested in an emulatedenvironment prior to loading into the firmware component 800. The SDKpreferably provides feature-set interfaces specific to the capabilitiesof a power management device so that only valid operations can bedeveloped. Firmware component 800 is preferably configured so that onlyvalid operations can be performed and will not allow installation of aprotocol software plug-in that uses a feature set not supported by apower management device. Protocol software plug-ins can preferably beloaded or modified through a wireless communications transport of powermanagement device 200. The following are a number of example uses caseswhich are by no means intended to be illustrative of all possibleapplications, the full extent of which would be understood by someone ofordinary skill in the art. In one preferred embodiment, a powermanagement device 200 is preferably configured with an NPI. A userwishes to configure the power management device with communicationprotocols and configuration data so that power management device and achosen service platform can communicate with each other. Userestablishes a peer-to-peer communications link between power managementdevice 200 and smartphone 10. Once connected, the user preferablychooses the desired protocol software plug-in to be installed throughthe Product App. The Product App facilitates installation of the chosenprotocol software plug-in. Configuration of the power management deviceand protocol software plug-in takes place. Power management device 200uses the configuration data, protocols and parameters from the protocolsoftware plug-in to establish communications with the specified serviceplatform. Remote capabilities are then enabled, the functionality ofwhich being governed by the feature sets interfaced through the protocolsoftware plug-in. It can be appreciated that a number of turnkeyprotocol software plug-ins can be created providing a default means forusers to connect to particular service platforms without having todevelop their own protocol software plug-ins through the SDK.

In one preferred embodiment, a power management device may be installed,commissioned and serviced by third party field agents who are not theuser of the power management device, the user not wishing to give fieldagents access to any part of their service platform infrastructure. Inthis instance, the protocol software plug-in and installationenvironment is preferably defined by the user. Configuration of theprovisioning Product App can be done either by customizing the ProductApp itself prior to distribution, or on the fly by authenticating fieldagents and automatically downloading required protocol softwareplug-ins. A power management device 200 is preferably configured with anNPI. During installation, the field agent preferably logs into theirprovisioning Product App using an authentication method such as ausername and password which verifies with a service platform that thefield agent is authorized. Configuration data and the required protocolsoftware plug-in is automatically downloaded by the Product App from theservice platform if not already stored locally. If the field agent is nolonger authorized, the service platform preferably sends a command todisable the provisioning Product App. The field agent establishes apeer-to-peer communications link between power management device 200 andsmartphone 10. Once connected, the protocol software plug-in ispreferably automatically installed and configured through the ProductApp without requiring confirmation from the field agent. The field agentmay conduct any other necessary or desired configuration of the powermanagement device. Power management device 200 uses the configurationdata, protocols and parameters from the protocol software plug-in toestablish communications with the specified service platform. The NPIpreferably remains active so that field agents can continue to connectto power management devices using their Product App and makeconfiguration changes or troubleshoot issues in field. Users can modify,disable or replace the NPI, or any parameter of the NPI, through theirservice platform connection in managing, controlling or limiting fieldaccess. By way of example, a service platform can replace the NPI'sdefault security and connection parameters with a unique set specific tothat power management device. This could include replacing the defaultSSID and password with a unique SSID and password. In that way, awireless communications interface of power management device 200 can beremotely secured while remaining available for future servicetechnicians if they have the correct security and connection parameters.Security and connection parameters can be continually rolled over tocreate single session credentials where desirable.

Firmware component 800 can accommodate multiple protocol softwareplug-ins, giving effect to complex communication architectures. In onepreferred embodiment, a protocol software plug-in created by a userthrough the SDK preferably incorporates a proprietary communicationsprotocol configured to exchange command and control data via a privateservice platform while another protocol software plug-in supportsread-only data monitoring and alerts via a turnkey protocol softwareplug-in configured to communicate with a separate public serviceplatform. A power management device 200 is preferably configured with anNPI. User establishes a peer-to-peer communications link between powermanagement device 200 and smartphone 10. Once connected, the userpreferably chooses the desired protocol software plug-ins to beinstalled through the Product App. The Product App facilitatesinstallation of the chosen protocol software plug-ins. Configuration ofthe power management device and protocol software plug-ins takes place.Power management device 200 uses the configuration data, protocols andparameters from the first protocol software plug-in to establishcommunications with the specified private service platform. Powermanagement device 200 uses the configuration data, protocols andparameters from the second protocol software plug-in to establishcommunications with the specified public service platform. Remotecapabilities are then enabled, the functionality of which being governedby the feature sets employed in each protocol software plug-in. It canbe appreciated that the steps outlined for installation of protocolsoftware plug-ins by a field agent could equally be applied in thecurrent scenario.

It can be appreciated that communications protocols and serviceplatforms continue to evolve and that users may find it highlyadvantageous to be able to centrally and independently swap from oneservice platform to another. In one preferred embodiment, powermanagement device 200 is configured with a first protocol softwareplug-in enabling communications with a first service platform. Using thecommunications link with the first service platform, power managementdevice 200 preferably downloads, or first service platform delivers, aprotocol software plug-in configured for a second service platform.Configuration of the power management device and second protocolsoftware plug-in takes place. The first protocol software plug-inpreferably remains active during this process providing a communicationschannel for further configuration and verification of the secondprotocol software plug-in, thereby offering a high level of redundancyduring this critical phase of migration. This mechanism can be used toinstall and use more than one protocol software plug-in simultaneously.After communications with the second service platform are running to auser's satisfaction, the new communications channel with the secondservice platform can preferably be used to disable or uninstall thefirst protocol software plug-in, thereby migrating power managementdevice 200 from the first service platform to the second serviceplatform without any service disruption. It can be appreciated that boththe first and second service platforms may use totally differentcommunications protocols. It can also be appreciated that one or moreprotocol software plug-ins can be loaded into a power management device200 at the time of manufacture.

In one preferred embodiment, a protocol software plug-in can preferablybe programmed with logical sequencing, logical processing or a programthat can use any combination or feature set element, metric, data and/orcommunications to automatically perform a function. By way of example, apower management device 200 may be configured to control a bank of 10×50watt lights giving a 500 watt total rated load. For safety and security,a user may wish to receive an alert if a lighting element fails. In atypical publish/subscribe model, the user could configure the protocolsoftware plug-in to publish measured energy metrics at a chosen samplerate to their chosen service platform where the reported load could becompared to the 500 watt total rated load. In the case where a reportedload deviated from the total rated load, the service platform couldissue an alert. It can be seen that in this example the service platformtakes responsibility for analysis and that there is a certain overheadincurred for transferring data packets where the reported load and totalrated load remain equal, i.e., there is no actionable information. Thecustomer could alternately program the protocol software plug-in so thatthe reported load could be compared to the total rated load locally inpower management device 200. Only in the instance where the reportedload deviated from the total rated load would a message be generated andsent to the service platform for actioning. It can be seen through thisexample that while the ultimate outcome in both scenarios is the same,the amount of data overhead saved through the later could beconsiderable.

It will be appreciated that though described in relation to a powercontrol device as an example, incorporating a firmware component withone or more slots configured for communication protocol softwareplug-ins may be configured for other devices and systems. For example,in one aspect, one or more variations of firmware component 800 may beconfigured as a multi-cloud protocol engine to permit devices tocommunicate with different types of cloud platforms. In another example,one or more configurations of the firmware component 800 may permit asoftware-controlled device to switch from one cloud platform to anothercloud platform without modifying other aspects of the device's embeddedfirmware. This solves several problems, for example only, permittingsoftware-controlled devices to function on more than one cloud platform,and allowing a user to choose a cloud platform for a software-controlleddevice after a software-controlled device is obtained by the user.

Where desirable, power management device 200 may be configured accordingto any security requirements including the transfer, use and/orenablement of any trust structures, keys, tokens, authentication,certificates, encryption or other security measures required tocommunicate with any software, device, system or platform using acommunications transport in power management device 200. In onepreferred embodiment this may be facilitated by supporting hardware suchas an authorization chip, cryptographic co-processor or secure datalocker. In one preferred embodiment, a security requirement in powermanagement device 200 may be implemented through a protocol softwareplug-in.

In one preferred embodiment, power management device 200 may beconfigured with one protocol software plug-in to communicate with adecentralised energy exchange, digital market place, energy tradingplatform, distributed energy resources platform or equivalent. Wheredesirable, power management device 200 may be further configured withone or more protocol software plug-ins to communicate with other serviceplatforms different to the one configured in the first protocol softwareplug-in. In that way, the owner of a network of power management devicescould participate in a decentralised energy exchange, digital marketplace, energy trading platform, distributed energy resources platform orequivalent, while also retaining control and ownership over the networkthrough a separate and independent service platform.

In one preferred embodiment, power management device 200 may beconfigured with an interface connection to accept cellularcommunications 210 in the form of a plug in module. In that way,cellular communications for a specific region, application, carrier ornetwork provider could be quickly and easily added or removed from powermanagement device 200 and may preferably be pre-configured to access aparticular network or wireless infrastructure. A suitable interfaceconnection could be by way of a proprietary plug and jack or anysuitable commercially available solution, such as USB, the manner ofwhich would be will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Wherecellular communications 210 takes the form of a plug in module, it mayinclude a SIM card or utilize an embedded SIM without departing from thescope of the present invention.

Aspects of the present disclosure may be used in a variety ofenvironments. For example only, the disclosure can be adapted for usewith gas meters (e.g., natural gas) water meters, electricity meters andhome-generated electrical apparatuses such as a PV solar system and/orwind turbine, inverters and battery storage systems, including batterystorage systems in electric cars functionally coupled to a homeelectricity network.

The features described with respect to one embodiment may be applied toother embodiments, or combined with, or interchanged with, the featuresof other embodiments without departing from the scope of the presentinvention.

Other embodiments of the disclosure will be apparent to those skilled inthe art from consideration of the specification and practice of thedisclosure disclosed herein. It is intended that the specification andexamples be considered as exemplary only, with a true scope and spiritof the disclosure being indicated by the following claims.

1. A power control device for controlling a supply of electricity to an electrical apparatus or system, the device comprising: a radio transceiver configured to communicate with a personal controller; a power control circuit configured to reduce or terminate the supply of electricity to the electrical apparatus or system; and a microcontroller having an operating system with a firmware component, said firmware component including at least one sandboxed software plug-in slot for accepting a communications protocol software plug-in to configure the microcontroller according to the communications protocol of the communications protocol software plug-in.
 2. The power control device of claim 1, wherein at least one of said plug-in slots is configured with a native provisioning interface.
 3. The power control device of claim 1, wherein at least one of said plug-in slots is configured to communicate with a cloud platform.
 4. The power control device of claim 1, further comprising at least a second plug-in slot, said firmware component being configured to communicate with more than one cloud platform.
 5. The power control device of claim 4, wherein said microcontroller is configured to communicate with more than one cloud platform one at a time.
 6. The power control device of claim 4, wherein said firmware component is configured to communicate with more than one cloud platform concurrently.
 7. The power control device of claim 1, wherein said at least one plug-in slot is pre-configured to accept a predetermined maximum amount of code.
 8. The power control device of claim 1, wherein said at least one plug-in slot is configured only for accepting a communications protocol software plug-in.
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 13. A method for provisioning a power control device to communicate with a cloud platform, comprising: receiving, at the power control device, a communications protocol software plug-in configured for a first cloud platform; and configuring the power control device according to the communications protocol of the communications protocol software plug-in received.
 14. The method of claim 13, further comprising creating a sandbox around the communications protocol software plug-in received.
 15. The method of claim 13, further comprising receiving, at the power control device, a second communications protocol software plug-in.
 16. The method of claim 15, wherein the second communications protocol software plug-in is configured for a cloud platform having a different type of communications protocol.
 17. The method of either claim 15 or 16, further comprising sending data from the power control device to the first cloud platform and the second cloud platform one at a time.
 18. The method of either claim 15 or 16, further comprising sending data from the power control device to the first cloud platform and the second cloud platform concurrently.
 19. The method of any one of claims 13 to 18, wherein the communications control plug-in is further configured with a native provisioning interface.
 20. The method of any one of claims 13 to 19, wherein the configuring of the power control device according to the communications protocol of the communications protocol software plug-in received is performed without modifying embedded firmware in the power control device.
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